An Unexpected Romance
by princessjolie
Summary: Starts off in Frostbite when Adrian first meets Rose, at the porch at the lodge. And Rose has given Adrian a chance. She has no romantic tie to Mason, but sadly Mason still dies..sorry guys and i hope you enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

APOV

I swear my father lives to piss me off! I thought to myself as I threw my cell phone across the room and it shattered once it hit the wall. I left my room grabbing my charcoal coat and placed the cigarettes in my coat pocket. I needed some fresh air and a chance to cool off. I had just got back from a dinner party with a bunch of stuffy Royals. Some days I felts pity for those who kept themselves locked in there box thinking their lives were better than the dhampirs. So to drown out the misery they were putting me through I drank my fair share of alcohol tonight. And the call from my father wasn't helping me feel any better, hence the reason for going out side in below freezing weather to smoke.

Once outside I stood in the shadows of the porch that wrapped itself around the lodge. Taking out my cigarettes I leaned up against one of the poles and lit my first cigarette of the night. It was when I lit up a second cigarette I noticed a dhampir making her way up to the porch. She seemed a bit tired but for the most part she was pretty, even with the black eye.

"Hey, little dhampir." I said to her when she was about to walk pasts me.

She was looking me up and down as I took a drag from my cigarette, from her posture and the look on her face I could tell she was a feisty one, that thought made me want to smile.

"Yeah?" she asked me but I was to busy taking her in. From a distance I thought she was pretty but up close I realized that was an extreme understatement she was beautiful, even in her winter gear. She didn't seem to mind the way I looked at her, she almost seemed use to it, which I wouldn't doubt any moroi or dhampir man with good sense could see that she was beautiful.

"Just saying hi, that's all." She shrugged me off and begun to leave, I wasn't quite ready to be separated from her presence so I said the first thing that came to mind, "You smell good, you know."

She stopped walking and turned to face me, causing my smile to grow even wider.

"I... um, what?"

"You smell good." I repeated to her

"Are you joking? I've been sweating all day. I'm disgusting." she said to me in disbelief, but hell it caught her attention and she wasn't leaving so I rolled with it, not like I was lying in the first place. Her smell was intoxicating.

"Sweat isn't a bad thing," I said, leaning my head against the wall and looking upward thoughtfully.

"Some of the best things in life happen while sweating. Yeah, if you get too much of it and it gets old and stale, it turns pretty gross. But on a beautiful woman? Intoxicating. If you could smell things like a vampire

does, you'd know what I'm talking about. Most people mess it all up and drown themselves in perfume. Perfume can be good...especially if you get one that goes with your chemistry. But you only need a hint. Mix about 20 percent of that with 80 percent of your own perspiration...mmm." I tilted my head to the side and looked at her. "Dead sexy."

"Well, thanks for the hygiene lesson," She said. "But I don't own any perfume," Whoa she don't own any perfume? Well I guess I would have to fix that. "and I'm going to go shower all this hot sweaty action off me. Sorry." I pulled out a pack of cigarettes and offered one to her. I moved only a step closer to her, she screwed her nose up at me, but I let it go not really caring why. She declined the cigarettes so I just took one out for myself

"Bad habit," she told me, if only she knew about all my habits this would seem the least bit dangerous of them I thought to myself as I lit the cigarette.

"One of many," I told her. I inhaled deeply. "You here with St. Vlad's?" she couldn't been no older than 17, so I figured she had to be here with the school vacationing here.

"Yup."

"So you're going to be a guardian when you grow up."

"Obviously."

"How long until you grow up?" I asked. "I might need a guardian."

"I graduate in the spring. But I'm already spoken for. Sorry."

Feeling slight jealous of the lucky bastard that got her as his guardian I couldn't help but ask, "Yeah? Who is he?"

"She's Vasilisa Dragomir."

"Ah." I said with a grin on my face. "I knew you were trouble as soon as I saw you. You're Janine Hathaway's daughter."

"I'm Rose Hathaway," She corrected, not wanting to be defined by her mother. Hmm, I could relate to that. I didn't really wanted to be defined by my parents either.

"Nice to meet you, Rose Hathaway." I extended my hand toward her, she seemed a bit hesitant in taking but that didn't really phase me. "Adrian Ivashkov."

"And you think I'm trouble," she muttered. Laughed at that, so she had heard about me, or my family. Either way I can only imagine what rumors she knew. Our money seemed to get us our way very often and not to mention my Great Aunt was the Queen, but even so with or without her being Queen we were one of the most powerful Moroi families.

"Handy, huh? Each of our reputations precedes us."

She shook her head. "You don't know anything about me. And I only know of your family. I don't know anything about you."

"Want to?" I asked her tauntingly.

She seemed like she was about to take up the offer but some one begun to approach us.

"Hey, Mia." Oh so she knew this girl, probably another St. Vlad's kid.

She glanced between the two of us.

"Another guy?" she asked. From her tone, it had me thinking Rose knew her way around. She seemed like a flirt but she definitely wasn't the type to throw herself all over just any guy. But I was amused none the less.

Clearly this annoyed Rose but she decided to play nice. "Mia, this is Adrian Ivashkov."

I turned on the same charm I'd used on Rose and shook her hand. "Always a pleasure to meet a friend of Rose's, especially a pretty one."

"We aren't friends," Rose told me, dropping the politeness facade.

"Rose only hangs out with guys and psychopaths," said Mia said to me clearly these two had no love for each other.

"Well," I said cheerfully," since I'm both a psychopath and a guy, that would explain why we're such good friends."

"You and I aren't friends either," She told me.

I laughed. "Always playing hard to get, huh?"

"She's not that hard to get," said Mia, clearly didn't like the fact that I was giving my attention to Rose, but I could careless, Mia was cute but Rose I just had a pull towards her. "Just ask half the guys at our school."

"Yeah," Rose shot back, "and you can ask the other half about Mia. If you can do a favor for her, she'll do lots of favors for you." Yeah these girls definitely had a history, I would have to ask her about that.

A flicker of embarrassment passed over Mia's face, but she held her ground.

"Well," she said, "at least I don't do them for free."

I made some cat noises. These girls were ready to go at each other, this could get ugly and very entertaining. But Rose seemed to be done with the girl.

"Are you done?"She asked. "It's past your bedtime, and the grown-ups would like to talk now." Mia's youthful looks were probably a very big sore point for her, clearly one Rose like to use against her at any given moment.

"Sure," she said crisply. Her cheeks turned pink, intensifying her porcelain-doll appearance. "I have better things to do anyway." She turned toward the door, then paused with her hand resting on it. She

glanced toward me. "Her mom gave her that black eye, you know."

She went inside. The fancy glass doors swung shut behind her.

We stood in silence for a brief moment before I took out another cigarette and lit it, not resisting the urge I had to ask. "Your mom?"

"Shut up."

"You're one of those people who either has soul mates or mortal enemies, aren't you? No in-between. You and Vasilisa are probably like sisters, huh?"

"I guess."

"How is she?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

I shrugged, trying to seem casual about it. "I don't know. I mean, I know you guys ran away...and there was that stuff with her family and Victor Dashkov..."

She stiffen at my mentioning Victor Dashkov, what did that bastard to them to cause that kind of reaction "So?"

"Dunno. Just figured it might be a lot for her to, you know, handle." I said to her, which is true but I heard some pretty interesting things about Vasilisa, not that I want to use Rose to get Vasilisa but I need to meet her. Before she could say anything because I was sure it revolved around her wanting to leave and I wasn't quite done with her company. She was appealing to me and not only in conversation. "Would you like to hang out a bit, we can go get drinks or go up to my room?"

She seemed to think about, and fate must've been on my side that night. "Yeah, but give me a chance to clean up first. You may like the smell but I feel gross. So what room am I looking for?"

RPOV

What did I get myself into, I thought to myself as I got dressed in a royal blue sweater dress Lissa got for me on one of her shopping trips that I couldn't go on. I found a pair of black flats, I was in no mood for heels. I put some make up on nothing to dramatic and straightened my hair. When I figured I was presentable enough I begun to leave just as Lissa was coming into the room Christian behind her.

"Hmm, you too kiddies have fun. And I'll see you later, what ever you do make sure it isn't in my bed." I said feigning disgust. Lissa blushed a deep red as I left the room laughing.

I started to make my way to Adrian's room, his family practically owned the entire wing. Which isn't surprising they were practically swimming in money and two Olympic size pools wouldn't be enough to hold all their money, hell three of them wouldn't be enough.

But it wasn't the money that drawn me to Adrian, sure I knew when I first saw him he had money but that wasn't what made me stay on the porch talking to him. Hell I hated the smell of clove cigarettes and still couldn't seem to pull myself away from him. It wasn't even the fact that he was pain-stakingly beautiful that made me want to stay. He just had a lure about him that drew me in probably the reason I couldn't find an excuse to back out of meeting him at his room.

When I got to his door I begun to raise my hand to knock on his door but he opened it before I could.

"Hey little dhampir, I was starting to think you bailed out on me." He said to me as he let me in. "You look beautiful."

I blushed, "Thank you."

"Anytime."

I thought my room with Lissa was big, I was mistaken. This room was three times the size and very well laid out. Ivashkov's always had the best.

"Wow, this is a nice room."

"Thanks." Adrian said as he handed me a drink, from the smell of it I could tell it was tequila and from the look of Adrian I could tell he already had a few of them.

"Do you have any good habits?" I asked him before I downed my tequila.

"I do but they aren't no where as appealing as my bad ones." he told me with a smirk on his face and his voice alluring.

"So what are you doing here at the lodge, you don't look like you ski?" I asked him taking another shot of tequila.

"Two reasons, my father pulled me along with him, for a vacation of sorts and because I actually can ski and snow board. I'll just have to show you tomorrow how very skilled I am."

All night we, well more so he drank tequila I was done after my third shot anymore and I would have a massive headache in the morning, my tolerance was low and I had no intention of getting drunk with an Ivashkov or any moroi for that matter. But as he drank we talked, Adrian wasn't that bad of a guy though his reputation made him seem like a womanizer. And in a way I guess you could say he was but it was hard to see, he was nothing but nice, respectful even.

The more we talked the closer Adrian seemed to get to me. I didn't really notice at first since I was mesmerized by his emerald green eyes. Though more than half the bottle was empty of tequila I could tell Adrian was far from drunk, slightly buzzed but definitely not drunk. When he was close enough that our faces were almost touching I could feel electric pull between us. And then he kissed me, if felt as though my world just exploded. It was a simple kiss that started to build but it was enough for me to get lost in it. All previous thoughts were lost it was just Adrian and me.

He moved me on to his lap as he deepened the kiss. We the need for air became unbearable I broke from the kiss and thankfully his lips did not leave my body they just moved to my neck. For a moment I panicked and moved away from him.

"What's the matter little dhampir?" Adrian said mw as he moved my hair from my face.

"I'm not a blood whore." I told him as I got up from the couch.

"What?" Adrian asked me slightly confused and amused.

"I said I wasn't a blood whore."

"I never expected you were." Adrian said as he pulled me into his arms. "I didn't invite you hear tonight thinking you were. If I was in need I would go to the feeders."

I studied him for a moment trying to find a lie in his words, I found none.

"Sorry, I just panicked when you were on my neck."

"It's alright little dhampir. It's late, so I guess I'll walk you to your room."

I was about to thank him when I remembered Lissa and Christian beginning in the same room and from what I was feeling through the bond I knew he hadn't left yet.

"Uhmm...if you don't mind can I crash here. My roommate is with her boyfriend."

Adrian laughed at that. "Sure."

"Thanks, I'll just take the couch."

"Nah you can have the bed. And seeing how you don't have any pajamas I'll give you one of my tee-shirts."

I was about to protest but from the look on his face I knew I wasn't going to win.

He led me to his bedroom like the rest of the room it was impressive. He handed me a tee-shirt and kissed me on the side of my head and was about to leave the room.

"Goodnight little dhampir." he said than closed the door behind him.

I took off my dress and got into his tee-shirt which fell down to the middle of my thigh than as soon as I hit the pillow I was out and I dreamed of none other, than Adrian Ivashkov himself.

When I woke in the morning I put my dress back on and went into the living room. I found Adrian sprawled out on his couch. He looked peaceful in his sleep and as always he looked beautiful. I bent down and begun to move his hair from off his face brushing it back lightly. His eyes opened and a smile spread across his face.

"I could get use to waking up like this." He said still smiling at me than he pulled me into his arms. This time he removed the hair from my face and pushed it back behind my ear. "Good morning little dhampir."

"Good morning." I said blushing when he kissed my lips. It wasn't anything like yesterdays kiss, this one was just quick and gentle.

"After we get cleaned up do you want to go get some breakfast?" he said as he set up and pulled me into his lap.

"Yeah I think I would like that." I gave him a quick peck on the lips and left his room with a smile on my face.

As I turned the corner I inwardly groaned when I saw Dmitri. I was hoping I could pass him with notice but luck was not with me.

"What are you doing down here, Rose?" He asked me.

"Just passing through." I said to him I was about to keep moving but Dmitri had other plans.

"Whose room are you coming from?" he asked me, apparently seeing through my lie but I wasn't going to show it.

"No ones. I was just passing through. If you don't mind Comrade I am hungry and I have to head back to my room before I go to the dining hall."

I could see his eyes narrow, still apparently not believing me but I could careless. I kept walking till I got to my room. Thankfully when I got there, there was no sign of Christian though Lissa was still asleep. I decided to let her sleep and I picked out my clothes a pair of skinny jeans and a black v-neck sweater. Than I went into the shower. Once I got out I only had ten minutes to spare before Adrian came knocking on my door. I quickly brushed my teeth and pulled my hair into a low ponytail than I slipped on my clothes. As I finished tying my shoes there was a knock at the door. I opened the door and smiled when I saw him standing there. His hair was stylishly messy as always and he wore dark denim jeans and a form fitting shirt. He was beautiful.

"Hey little dhampir, you ready?"

"Yeah, just let me leave Lissa a note, so she won't worry."

"Alright."

I quickly wrote the note and left it on the night stand beside Lissa than I left the room. As I closed the door behind me Adrian wrapped an arm around my waist and gave me quick peck on the lips than he begun to lead me to the dining hall.

Since he hadn't smoked or drank yet I got a chance to smell his real scent without anything tainting it. And it was beautiful. Made me pout a little to know that in a couple hours or so he would be masking it with clove cigarettes and alcohol.

"Why the long face, little dhampir?" he asked me as me walked into to the dining hall, that was surprising empty there was only about ten other people in here.

"Just thinking." I told him as I grabbed a tray and started to load it up with food.

"About what?" He asked me as he begun to fill his tray up as while.

"Well this is probably going to sound very petty to you but I was thinking about how you were going to drown out your smell when you started your smoking and drinking."

"So you like the way I smell?" He asked giving me a crooked smile as we set down. I felt myself blush.

"If I could little dhampir I wouldn't drink and smoke but it helps keep the darkness away."

I must've looked at him weird because he bust out laughing. It was one of the most beautiful sounds I heard but it was directed at me so I was slightly irritated not that I would show it or tell him that. After he was done he explained to me what he meant.

"I'm I spirit user little dhampir."

APOV

She didn't say anything for a moment she just stared at me in disbelief.

"That's why you asked about Lissa?" She finally said to me.

"Yes and no. I had heard about the things she could do before it got all hushed up and I was eager to meet her, hence another reason I came here knowing your school was going to be here. And the other part was because I know Dashkov did some pretty foul things to her and you. And I was curious as to how she and yourself was taking the added stress, since I'm guessing you are shadow-kissed."

"How-"

"The accident you two were involved in. I did a little research after finding out Vasilisa was a spirit user like myself and according to all the evidence you should be dead."

"So I'm guessing you befriended me so you can meet Lissa?" She asked I could see hurt in eyes she tried to hide it in her voice by sounding pissed.

"No, meeting you last night, was completely fate. I befriended you for you Rose. There is no alternative-motive here. Whether you chose to introduce me to Vasilisa or not is entirely up to you."

She searched my face for a moment and when she found what she was looking for she relaxed a little than she spoke to me. "So you can heal people like Lissa can?"

"Uhmm, no. I see peoples auras and can go into their dreams."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"That's pretty cool." she said as she begun to eat her food.

We talked ate and laughed for the next twenty minutes when Vasilisa came to sit by Rose. There was a boy with here, from his eyes I could tell he was an Ozera.

Something seemed to flash I the Ozera boys eyes. And his arm around Vasilisa seemed to tighten. She looked up at him puzzled than followed his gazed to me.

"Lissa this is-"

"We know who he is Rose. Do you?" the Ozera boy asked her, if didn't know better I would say he was a bit protective of Rose, brotherly so.

Rose looked between the two of us. I just held an amused look on my face to try and hide my annoyance with the boy. "Adrian Ivashkov"

"No Rose I think he is referring to my reputation as a Womanizer" I said the last part rolling my eyes. Though true, I couldn't bring myself to think of doing that to Rose. If I've learned anything since I met her last night it was that she was different from all the other woman I had ever met.

"It's nice to see you care Christian, but I am perfectly aware of who Adrian is." she said to him I had expected her to be somewhat pissed at him but she was completely calm.

"As long as you know." Christian warned her before he set down pulling Lissa close to him.

"Lissa as I was saying this is Adrian, he's waiting to meet you."

Lissa stuck her hand out for me to shake I did.

"Why so eager to meet me?"

"Because like you cousin I am a spirit user."

Lissa's eyes widen when I told her. Than a smiled spread across her face.

"I was starting to think I was alone in the Spirit department."

"Au contraire cousin. Rose hear tells me you can heal people."

"I can heal just about any living creature. Though I've been trying not to do so lately. The side effect are a bit...overwhelming." She told me there was a hint of ashamed in her eyes but it passed. "Can you heal as well?"

"No, I see aura's and I am a dream-walker."

"Dream-walker?"

"He can go into peoples dreams." Rose told Lissa with a smile.

"That is cool."

The three of us talked for a about ten minutes the Ozera kid stayed silent most of the time as he played in Lissa's hair and kissed her in her hair. She didn't seem to mind it at first you would think she wasn't aware of it, but she was very much aware of if, she welcomed it. The dining hall had begun to empty when two other people joined us. Apparently they had been looking for my three companions. Rose introduced them to me. Mason Ashford, who I knew immediately had a crush on Rose. And Eddie Castile his best friend, both dhampirs and from the looks of them they would make kick-ass Guardians.

"So anyone up for round two?" Mason asked, I was lost but the others seemed to know what he was talking about.

"Mase didn't you almost break you ankle skiing yesterday. I think you should let it rest today." Rose told him as I absentmindedly took her hand from across the table. The conversation had turned dull so I started tracing patterns in her had. She didn't mind it a bit. But I saw the color in Mason's Aura change so abruptly I stopped tracing the patterns on her hand. I thought this kid had a crush on her, but I was wrong. He was in love with her and jealously shot through him when he saw me touching her.

"Adrian what's wrong?" Rose asked me, concern all over her face.

"Nothing, I think I need to get some fresh air."

She pouted a bit knowing I was going to go smoke, "If there was another way little dhampir I wouldn't mess with the cancer sticks." I whispered in her ear than kissed her on her cheek. Again jealously shot through Mason, stronger than the last. I said goodbye to everyone than left to smoke my cigarettes. Hopefully they would dull out the auras enough so I could at least stay sober long enough to show Rose I actually know how to ski.


	2. Chapter 2

**HEY GUYS! I hoped all of you enjoyed the last chapter and will enjoy this one to =). So please review I do enjoy reading your inputs =)!**

**And once again sadly i don't own this story *sigh*  
**

**RPOV**

I stayed at the table with my friends for a little while longer before we were practically kicked out of the dining hall. Lissa and I were about to go our own way and the boys theirs when we ran into my mother. Inwardly I groaned she was the last person I wanted to see to day. I was in the best of moods and I was pretty sure she was going to ruin it.

Not even waiting till we were in private she got right to the point. "Are you hanging around Adrian Ivashkov?"

Not really in the mood to deal with her I decided to go with the truth, "I just met him last night."

"I want you to stay away from him Rosemarie." she told me sternly

"For the past twelve years of my life I have been making my own decisions." my mother dropped me like a hot potato when I was five, she left me in the care of the academy. "And you want to start making them for me?" I asked her turning angry. "I don't need you to suddenly start caring about the decision I make in my life. So please just leave me the hell alone." with that I just left her standing there pulling Lissa along with me.

When we got back to the room I was still shaking from my anger. _The nerve of that woman!_ I mentally shouted to myself. She has no right to just waltz into my life and think she can start changing who I am and what I decided.

"You alright Rose?" Lissa asked me, I had almost forgot she was there I was fuming. If there is one person that could really get under my skin it was my mother.

"I'll be fine I just need to get some fresh air." With that I left the room and out to the porch were I met Adrian last nigh though I didn't know I was going here till I stepped out on the porch.

As soon as the cool air hit me begun to calm down, than I smelled clove cigarettes and all my anger was washed away.

"Hey little dhampir," his voice was like velvet. "You okay?"

"I am now." I told him as turned to smile at him. He dropped the cigarette and put it out under his shoe as he pulled me into his side.

"Well the way you came bursting through that door, something had to bother you. Mind telling what it was?"

"My mother." I said with a bitter edge to my voice.

"Ah, what did she say to you?"

"To stay away from you. But I don't know what it is about you, I just cant stay away."

A smile spread across Adrian face, "Little dhampir I feel the say way.

"I do hope you are telling the truth Adrian, I'm taking a chance with you I have been warned twice about your reputation and I doubt it would be the last. But I am willing to look beyond your reputation. But I will not necessarily go into this blindly."

"Little dhampir, was that a subtle way of saying you will kick my ass if I ever messed up?"

"You said it I didn't, but I'm glad you caught the hint." I said smiling up at him. He just laughed.

I'm pretty sure that whatever we are feeling isn't exactly love right now, but it has enough meaning in it for us to be together, maybe even enough for me to forget Dmitri since he would be leaving me soon to go be Tasha Ozera's Guardian. But when the time came I knew I would have Adrian here with me to make me forget it all. With that thought I laid my face on his chest and enjoyed the mountain view with him.

"Little dhampir I think it is time for me to prove to you I didn't just come here for the scenery."

"What do you mean?"

"Time to show you I actually do know how to ski"

**APOV**

While I left Rose to get ready to go skiing, I thought about what she said to me on the porch. I was done with my playboy days when I saw her on the porch yesterday. I didn't instantly realized it but I noticed it now. I usually would have had my attention consumed by one of many of the beautiful woman in the lodge but their beauty was marred to me. I didn't find myself attracted to any of them, in less than twenty-four hours Rosemarie Hathaway had altered my entire being. Her heart was one I didn't plan on breaking or leaving. I smiled at that thought as I slipped on my gear and grabbed my ski's.

"You ready to get your ass handed to you, Ivashkov?" she asked me when we met up on the porch.

"Little dhampir I think it is your ass that will be handed to you." I said laughing.

I had to hand it to Rose she was good, almost real competition. But I was better, seemed like the only thing I would have the upper hand in, in this relationship. Well at least I hoped it was a going toward the direction of a relationship. I thought of this as I watched her do insanely impossible moves skiing. I had to give it to Rose she didn't do anything lightly. When she wanted to push the envelope she did so with no second thought. Probably why her friend Mason was limping. Even I wasn't to sure I wanted to copy her moves. But I wasn't about to get my ass handed to me by a girl and have to eat my own words. That sure in Hell wasn't happening today. So every insane move she made I repeated with out a second thought. And she did the same for my wicked moves. The girl got spirit, that might be why shes so..appealing to me...

As we were making our way back to the lodge both of use insanely tired, we ran into a group of her friends. Much to my dislike, Mason was among them, the kid still had jealously coming off of him. The effect from my cigarettes were long worn out hours ago during the time I was skiing with Rose.

"Hey guys, was-sup?" Rose asked them when they stopped in front of us.

"Heard you and Lord Ivashkov were doing some pretty sick skiing. Thought we see for ourselves. And see if we could team up" Eddie told her.

"Please call me Adrian." I told him. "And I wish I could but I have dinner plans tonight with my father." the last part made me roll my eyes.

"It will have to be tomorrow Eddie I'm beat. Adrian was giving me a run for my money."

"Well tomorrow it is. And I hope you are up to it Adrian."

"More than you know." I said smilingly, than I turned my attention back to Rose, "Ready to go little dhampir?" I asked her as I extended my hands towards her, she took it without hesitation.

"Yeah."

I lead Rose back to her room and kissed her lightly on her lips, and bid her a goodnight than I was off to my room to clean up and get ready for the dinner with my father that I was absolutely dreading. Apparently he was trying to set up my network so when I finally decided to _grow-up_ I would be able to take over the family affairs. I rolled my eyes at that thought as I passed a fairly tall dhampir. If I had been strigoi I would fear him. His eyes seemed to narrow when the landed on me. And his aura showed he absolutely did not like me. This man must've known who I was. That thought made me laugh a little to myself. Where ever I go my reputation seemed to follow me. But I was going to make damn sure it didn't mess up what I was experiencing with Rose. I was going burn the little black book and take my flirting down to very low levels. If I was going to show Rose I wasn't whatever one thought I was I was going to have to prove it. And I planned on doing just that.


	3. Chapter 3

**HEY! Glad to see all you back for another chapter LOL, well i hope you enjoy this one might be a while till the next one my ma had some surgery so helping take care of her..but as always sadly i dont own this story *sigh*, enjoy and please review =) till next time LOL**

**RPOV**

I had just stripped down to my panties and bra when there was a knock at my door. Feeling a bit frustrated I hastily wrapped my robe around me and went to open the door. I groaned it was Dmitri. Rolling my eyes I asked him what he wanted, "What Dmitri, I'm trying to clean myself up." His eyes swept over me, and for a second I thought I saw anger flash across his face but immediately his guardian mask was put on. Before he could say anything I stopped him, "Can I clean up first, please. I've had a long day, I'm hungry and tired. You can wait out here while I get ready or you can meet me at the Dining Hall."

"I'll wait out here." he told me. I gave him one last look and closed the door, then hurried for the shower. I let the hot water relax my muscles that I pushed to the max today doing my little stunts skiing with Adrian. The thought of this afternoon made me smile. I don't remember the last time I had that much fun in my life. Remembering Dmitri was out there waiting for me I finished up in the shower than dried off pulled my hair into a ponytail and pulled on a pair of sweat pants, a tee-shirt and my black vans.

When opened the door Dmitri was still there leaning against the wall in front of my door.

"You ready?" he asked me

"Yeah"

We didn't talk the whole way to the Dining Hall. What ever he wanted to talk about it seemed to bothering him. I wasn't in the mood for something depressing the day I just had but I wasn't about to tell him that. So sucking it up I grabbed my food and set down with him in the dining hall which was practically empty.

"So what's the problem Comrade?" I asked him as I bit into my pizza.

"You've been hanging around Adrian Ivashkov." his eyes angry slits

"Oh my God. I don't need this right now. I have had this conversation to many times today. I know who he is and I know his reputation. I'm not some idiot everyone feels they need to warn. I've been around enough men that are just like him. I can handle him, besides he is not as bad as all of you seem to think." I said hotly as I pushed my food away I had lost my appetite.

"Must you be so naive Rose?" Dmitri asked me shaking his head. "Adrian Ivashkov is a Royal Moroi that is use to getting what he wants when he wants it. He will use you and leave you when he is done with you."

"Not all royal Moroi are like that. The time I've spent with Adrian has shown me that. He is not all of what his reputation says he is. If people would take the time to see through the whole Ladies Man facade he puts than maybe they would have a different opinion of him."

"Or maybe he is having you see what he wants you to see, did you think of that Rose. He didn't just get his reputation for nothing. Adrian Ivashkov has a way with words that will make anybody believes what he wants them to. You need to be careful Rose. You need to stay away from him."

"Why do you care Dmitri? It's not like you will be here for the aftermath if something goes wrong. You will be away with your precious Tasha, probably will have her knocked up by then."

For a moment I thought Dmitri was going to lose control, but he closed his eyes and took a couple of deep breaths before he spoke to again, "Just because I will be away Roza doesn't mean I won't care what happens to you. I may not be here for the aftermath but that doesn't mean I want to hear or know of you being hurt. To know that your future was ruin by Adrian Ivashkov because you were being far to naive to heed the warning given to you, I will still feel pained by it. The people that care about you have given a lot to your future to make sure that you could be the best and for you to be throwing it away like this because you want to be buddy buddy with Adrian Ivashkov, is a waste of our time and effort, and basically a slap in the face."

"Maybe I am being naive Dmitri, but there is something different about Adrian. You and everyone else may not want to see it or take a chance to understand it. But I will do just that, because maybe, just maybe, what he will give me will be able to heal the damage you have already done to me. You have a nerve to talk about him. Talking of the pain he will cause me, when nothing could be as painful when I found out you have decided to leave me to go shack up with Tasha Ozera. Naive I may be, but stupid in letting myself get hurt the way you have hurt me I am not. I appreciate the time you have put into my training but do not come to me about my love life that you have almost ruined." And with that I left him at the table, stunned.

I did not look back to see his face, I did not care to see. I was leaving it all right there. He had made his choice and I had made mine whether it was the right choice or not was for me to find out on my own, and I would not regret it.

When I reached my room I didn't even bother going in I could sense Lissa's feelings and they were telling me she was with Christian...enjoying herself. I decided I'll just go to Adrian's room. I was practically at his door when I remembered he was a dinner party. With a heavy sigh I was about to turn from his door, when the familiar smell of clove cigarettes hit me. I smiled and turned to see Adrian than my smile was shattered. Adrian was very drunk and on the arms of some other woman. I was about to turn to leave.

"Little dhampir! What are you doing here?"

"Oh thank god! You must be Rose, I'm Elena Adrian sister." the pretty brunette said to me as they reached reached the door. "Could you open the door for me? I think the key is in his jacket pocket."

"Little dhampir you still haven't answered my question what you doing here all by yourself?" Adrian asked me as I fished the key out of his pocket.

"I need a place to crash tonight. My roommate is..uhmm...preoccupied again tonight." I said as I unlocked his door.

"Sure you can crash here I don't mind." Adrian said with a dazzling smile on his face. I had taken him from his sister she seemed to be struggling under his weight.

"Thank you Rose. I would really hate to leave him tonight but I got to get back to the dinner party. I just had to get him out of there before he said something to father that would have gotten us both disowned." Elena told her me with a small smile as I laid Adrian down on his bed. He had fallen asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

"I don't mind staying here with him, I don't have anywhere else to be right now considering my roommate is...preoccupied at the moment."I said taking his shoes off and his dress jacket which felt just expensive as it looked. If there was one thing about the Ivashkov they didn't mind showing off that they had money.

"I hope we get some time to talk soon Rose, but right now I have to run. Thanks again." And with that his sister left the room.

I removed his pants and placed the covers over him. He looked peaceful in his sleep. It made me smile as I pushed his hair from his face. I kissed him on his cheek and left him in his room and I crashed on the couch. Like Adrian as soon as my head hit the pillow I was out.

**APOV**

I woke to a massive headache. After all these years you would think I would become immune to them, but I haven't unfortunately. With a heavy sigh I turned over to see a pair of beautiful brown eyes staring back at me. My Rose had stayed the night with me, that thought made me smile.

"Hi little dhampir." I told her I would have gotten out of the bed to greet her properly but my head was to sore. I drank entirely to much last nigh. My father was pushing me over the edge the man didn't realize how close I was to snapping. Thankfully my sister was there to get me out of there before I said something that could hurt us both.

"Hey Adrian." she said said to me as she moved closer she had a glass of water and some pills in her hand. She handed them to me and I gladly took them.

"Where did you sleep little dhampir, I hope it wasn't on that horrible couch?" I asked her after I swallowed the pills.

"Didn't have another choice the bed was preoccupied." she said to me with a smile. God how did I love her smile.

"I would've shared with you. I don't move to much in my drunken sleeps." she nodded at that, apparently I was still in the same spot her and my sister left me.

"You may not move to much in your sleep but the smell of vodka that was coming from you would have prevented me from falling asleep. And the couch is not that bad, it was better than the alternative in my room. But now that you are awake I have to go back to my room and clean myself up and hang out with some friends. If you like we can meet up for lunch."

"I will like that a lot little dhampir." I gave her a quick kiss than she left after she left my head hit the pillow again and I was back in the world of sleep.

When I woke up it twenty minutes before I had to meet with Rose. I jumped out of bed and thank the Lord my headache was gone than I jumped into the shower. I got dressed and styled my hair as quickly as I could than I was out the door in a blur. I had just closed the door when I almost ran into Rose. She didn't look to good.

"Rose what's wrong?" I asked her putting my hands on her shoulder.

"There's been another attack."

"Where? When?"

"Somewhere in California some time this morning thirteen dead and three missing. They called a meeting, I was wondering if you were going to attended or did you still want to go to lunch."

"Let's go see what they have to say and if it gets to boring we can just leave to go get something to eat."

"Okay,"

We left to the room where they were holding the meeting, but as we got closer it seemed something else was bothering Rose.

"Rose what's really bothering you?" I asked her before we got to the meeting

"When I heard about the attack all I could think about was the attack that killed the legendary Arthur Schoenberg. There was bodies everywhere woman, children, and the legend himself."

"You were there? You saw all them?"

"Me and Dmitri was suppose to meet Guardian Schoenberg but when we got there they were all dead. No one was spared and from the way they died you can tell their last moments were painful. And now this, thirteen dead, its getting worse and worse and I can't help but feel like something big is coming that none of us are prepared for."

"It will all get better soon little dhampir."

"I hope, because the thought of losing the people I care about to them is unbearable."

I led us into the meeting as much as I wish I could tell her that she wasn't going to lose anyone to these attacks I couldn't Most of the people she knew were dhampirs, fighters. Some of them wouldn't make it out of a fight if it got to bad. Thought they weren't Guardians just yet that didn't stop the strigoi from killing them.

When we got to the meeting it was already in full swing, I kept my arm around Rose's waist her mind seemed preoccupied. I figured it was still on the attack that she had witness the aftermath to. I was about to pull her out of here and just take her to get something to eat so she wouldn't have keep getting a reminder of what she witnessed but she pulled us towards the seats in the back. I set down and pulled her close. I looked down at her while she was biting her lip and looking down at her hands. I took one of her hands and she looked up at me and gave me a small smile than we both gave out attention to what was being said up at the podium.

"...Only six to protect over a dozen Moroi! That;s unacceptable. It's no wonder these kind of things keep happening."

"Where do you propose getting more Guardians from? They're kind of a limited resource." I felt slight disgusted by this man, he was making it sound like dhampirs were products, and not actual people.

There was a woman that was pointing around the room at the young novices, Rose included, my grip tighten around her, "We've got plenty already. I've watched them train They're deadly. Thy are we waiting until they turn eighteen? If we accelerated the training program and focused more on combat training than bookwork, we could turn out new guardians when they're sixteen." I was beginning to think this woman had lost her mind. Was she that self-centered she would seen children out to protect her? Did she hold no value to their lives? She was setting them up for doom. I hung my head in embarrassment thinking that my people held so little value to those that would die for them.

"Not only that, we have plenty of potential Guardians going to waste. Where are all the dhampir women? Our races are intertwined. The Moroi are doing there part to help the dhampirs survive. Why aren't these women doing theirs? Why aren't they here?"

A long, sultry laugh came as an answer. All our eyes turned toward Tasha Ozera.

"May I?" she asked the moderator. He nodded and the Szelsky woman sat down. "Those women aren't here, Monica, because they're too busy raising their children-you know, the ones you want to start sending out to the fronts as soon as they can walk. And please don't insult us all by acting like the Moroi do a huge favor to the dhampirs by helping the reproduce. Maybe it's different in your family, but for the rest of us, sex is fun. The Moroi doing it with dhampirs aren't really making that big of a sacrifice." _finally a woman with some since,_ I thought to my self as she continued. "And the reason we're waiting for these Guardians to turn eighteen is so that we can allow them to enjoy some pretense of life before forcing them to spend the rest of their days in constant danger. They need those extra years to develop mentally as well as physically. Put them out there before they're ready, treat them like they are parts on an assembly line-and your just creating Strigoi fodder." Many people gasped at her bluntness but she did achiever her goal, she got the whole rooms attention. "You increase more fodder still if you try making the other dhampir women become Guardians. You cant force them into that life if they don't want it. The entire plan of yours to get more guardians relies on throwing children and the unwilling into harms way, just so you can barely stay one step ahead of the enemy. I would have said it's the stupidest plan I've ever heard, if I hadn't already heard his." I had missed his argument so I would just have to take her word of it."Enlighten us than, Natasha" he said to her "Tell us what you thin we should do, seeing as you have so much experience wit Strigoi."

A smile played on her lips, but she didn't rise to the insult "What do I think?" she said moving closer to the stage front, gazing at all of us as she answered the question, "I think we should stop coming up with plans that involve us relying on someone or something to protect us. You think there are too few guardians? That's not the problem. The problem is that there are too many Strigoi. And we've let them multiply and become more powerful because we do nothing about them except have stupid arguments like this. We run and hide behind dhampirs and let the Strigoi go unchecked. It's our fault. We are the reason those Drozdovs died. You want an army? Well, here we are. Dhampirs are the only ones who can learn to fight. The question, Monica isn't where the dhampir women are in this fight. The question is: Where are we?" she was shouting now her cheeks pink and her eyes bright, even her aura seemed to be on fire. Everywhere people were paying attention to her. People were being inspired by her and hypnotized.

"Surely you aren't suggesting the Moroi fight alongside the Guardians when the Strigoi come?" and unimpressed Monica Szelsky asked her

"No. I'm suggesting the Moroi and Guardians go fight the Strigoi before they come."

One of my idiotic fellow royals shot up from his seat. I could tell already he was going to say something that would definitely get Tasha's point across. "Oh" he said with mockery, "So you're gong to just give us clubs and stakes and send us off to do battle?"

Tasha just shrugged at him, "If that's what it takes, Andrew, then sure." then a sly smile crossed her face, "But there are other weapons we can use too. One the Guardians can't." I already knew what she was referring to and a smile spread across my face, this idiot was going to push her into demonstration and she would gladly show him.

"Oh yea? Like what?"

Tasha's smile was full-fledged grin. "Like this." With a wave of her hand his sweater that was on his chair burst into flames, I almost choked to hold in my laughter. Rose looked at me like was crazy than a smile spread across her face as Andrew yelped in surprise and knocked the sweater on the ground and started to stomp the fire out.

I had seen enough of this and I knew Rose was hungry and I had other plans for us tonight, so before the chaos could explode across the room I grabbed Roses hand and led her down to the Dining Hall.

"Well little dhampir, if Ozera gets her way than one of these days you will have a partnership with some of the Moroi that are willing to fight." I said with a chuckle

"I cant deny that it wont have its usefulness, seeing how Strigoi hate fire." Rose said as she leaned into me. "But all the others I don't see how they will be useful but I'm open for surprises. It will also be nice for the whole world not to rest on our shoulders at least once while we are out there defending their asses. You would think they would have thought of this along time ago if they wanted to stay alive."

"Sometime my people are slow to move Rose, many of us are just to conservative for our own good."

"Well if those conservatives want to see the next day when they have Strigoi on their ass they better step up to the plate and take their lives into their own hands."

"Not all of us can use our gifts to help us."

"Than it will people like you and Lissa that would need a Guardian most. Those that don't have their powers to defend themselves deserve to have the protection of the Guardians those the do have the power to protect themselves they need to value their own lives long enough so their Guardians can finish up the job."

"Speaking of Lissa, I was wondering if you and your friends would like to join me for a party?"

"People just died and you want to party?"

"Exactly, you are a bit to wound up from all that has happened you need to relax a little bit, little dhampir. If you're coming you will need a bathing suit or you can come without." I said to her with one of my smiles that make woman's knees go weak.

She rolled her eyes at me, but I knew it had some effect on her I could see it in the slight color change in her cheeks, "I'll see what I can do." she told me as we reached the Dining Hall.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

APOV

We decided to meet up close to the five o'clock hour. Till then I had some family business to take care of. It seems last night I pissed my father off to the point where he threaten to disown me. In all honesty I could careless. I had enough money saved up to take over the whole Ivashkov kingdom, but he didn't need to know that. To be honest only a few people knew about my business adventures. My aunt and my sister Elena. I built my empire so no reason for me to bend to another king.

As I neared my father's room I could hear his voice through the door, apparently one of the guest that he was entertaining was very amusing. I guess it is time to take the laughter out of the room. Taking two deep breaths I knocked on my father's door. It was my mother that answered the door. I gave her a big smile than gave her a hug and she let me into the room. The first place I went to once I got into the room was the bar, I was in serious need of a drink and I was sure my father wasn't going to make that need any better or disappear. But I would have to drink light didn't want to meet up with Rose and be entirely to drunk to actually go to the party I talked her into going to. Just enough to lax my nerves, hopefully it would be enough.

"Did you run out of your own liquor Adrian?" my father sneered at me, I was going to need a whole bottle to keep my nerve, but for now this one glass was all I was going to allow myself to drink.

"No father, I have plenty stocked."

"I sure you do. Booze and those filthy cigarettes seem to be the only thing you keep stocked."

"I believed I learned from example." I shot back at him before I drained my glass of its contents.

"Watch your tone in front of my guest."

"I am sure your guest are not ignorant to your little moments father. I believe they have witness quite a few."

"Sonya and Evan can we continue this discussion another time. It seems my son still does not remember his manners."

"They can stay, I'll only be a moment." I said pouring myself another glass of vodka. "The events that took place last night I ask that you not include Elena in your attempt to punish me. My spoken thoughts were my own."

"Well it seemed like you two shared the same opinions." he sneered

"She was just doing what most sibling do when their brother is getting it from all sides. I'm sure you have never experience those moments for yourself, since your opinions are so...correct." I set the half empty glass of vodka down and stood from my seat. "Whatever your opinion of me father, do not fault my sister for looking out for me, when she seems to be the only person in this family that cares enough to do so."

"It's not that I don't care Adrian, its that you throw all the attempt in my face when I try to show you the finer things in life when you turn to your booze and woman. You have done enough to tarnish the family name. And the only reason I haven't disowned you at this moment is because of our dear aunt. You best be thankful for her or you would have nothing."

"No, I believe it is quite the opposite father. You would have nothing if not for Aunt Tatiana. And for all I care you can disown me I don't need your...influence. But we both know you won't do so no matter how much I upset you."

And I left him fuming in his seat. We both knew it was true no matter how much he tried to prove other wise. If he thought recent events were enough to make him fuming I wonder what he would think when he learns of my attachment to a dhampir. My involvement with her might even be enough to piss my aunt off because she had plans for me, but if those plans didn't not include my Rose, I want nothing from them, not now not ever. This girl was different, she made me want to be better. I would give it all up for her, but for the moment I think that's a bit to intense to say to her at the moment. But one day soon I will tell her how deep my affections run.

I was on my way to my room when I ran into that dhampir I saw the other day. This man was built to kill Strigoi. As I thought before if I was a weaker man he would have me quake in my boots.

"Lord Ivashkov may I have a word with you?" No wonder this man seemed intimidating, he was Russian.

"Sure, but can you make it quick I have plans that I need to get ready for." I told him as I moved to his side of the hall.

"What are you intentions towards Miss Hathaway?"

"And how is that any of your business?" I asked him.

"I am her mentor." he said in a matter-of-fact tone but his eyes said different, they were the eyes of a jealous man, I could only assume this was Guardian Belikov, Rose spoke highly of him the night we met. From the way she spoke of him I could tell that he had hurt her very recently. She did admit to me that she use to believe that she loved him, and thought that he felt the same for her, but him leaving with Tasha Ozera proved to her otherwise. The bastard hurt her and now he has the nerve to try to figure out my intent towards her, what a coward.

"Are you sure that is all, because if I didn't know any better I would say that there is more than that going on between you two?"

"That is all between us nothing more. Now answer the question, what are your intentions towards Miss Hathaway?"

"I see you got the Russian Intimidator down pact, but it will phase me none Guardian Belikov. I owe you no explanation of my intentions towards Rose. That is between me and her. But so you can sleep better at night, my intent is to have her as long as she will have me. I do not intend on treating her as a game as I have done so before with the other woman I have met. She is much more to me than that. But to you I guess you would see her as a game. You hurt I hope you know, I would never do that to her, so sleep well Guardian Belikov knowing that her heart that you tore apart is in better hands." I said to him than I left him there fuming. I had no more to say to the man and I did not wish to hear more from him. I had plans tonight I had to get ready for, no one was going to keep me from them.


	5. Chapter 5

**HIYA! SORRY IT HAS TAKEN ME SO LONG TO UPDATE AND I KNOW IT IS A BIT SHORT BUT THIS WILL HAVE TO DO FOR NOW SORRY BEEN VERY BUSY :( SO ENJOY AND I WILL TRY _TRY_ TO GET SOMETHING UP BY THE END OF NEXT WEEK. AND F.Y.I THIS CHAPTER IS RATED M! SO THE STORY MIGHT BE CHANGING RATINGS SOON! TILL NEXT TIME GUYS AND AS ALWAYS PLEASE REVIEW!**

**RPOV**

It didn't take much to convince Lissa to come with me tonight, the fact that Adrian was another Spirit user might have had some effect on her. As far as she had always known she was the only spirit user. Couldn't blame her though if I was in her situation I would have jumped at the first opportunity too. Christian on the other hand was a bit harder to convince, though he knew Adrian's attention was not on Lissa he didn't want to put her in the path of a womanizer-accused womanizer...okay he admitted to it but people change...at least I hope my heart is getting set in this and one wrong move he could shatter me. That thought made me want to shiver, but the thought of Adrian being all mine and him putting away his little black book made me smile and my heart swell. But in the end Christian gave into the charms of Lissa and then I had to convince Mason and Eddie, that is when the real chore begun. With a sigh I walked to their room and knocked on the door.

"Hey Rose wassup?" Eddie asked me when he opened the door.

"I was wondering if you and Mason would like to join Lissa, Christian, Adrian, and myself for a little party tonight. Just to get out minds off of everything that's been happening."

"Sure I don't mind it if Mason is willing to go, I'll ask him when he gets back and than I'll come by your room to let you know if we are going. What time should we be there?"

"Around nine"

"I'll be there."

"Thanks Eddie." I told him as I gave him a kiss on the cheek and left the room heading back towards mine, but thought better of it and went to Adrian's room. On the way to his room I walked passed Dmitri with his _precious_ Tanya, the smile on their face almost made me want to gag but that effect only lasted for a second when I remembered that I had something better waiting from me, and I was steadily heading towards him with a smile on my face.

When I got to Adrian's room I knocked on the door, it didn't take him long to answer. And when he did I got an eye full. All he had was a towel wrapped around his waist and still had water on his body from his shower. The sight of him made me speechless. I couldn't even move I just stood there staring at him for what felt like two minutes but was only a matter of seconds.

"Little dhampir if I didn't know any better I would think that you liked what you see." he said in as he leaned against the door frame that only added to his sex appeal.

When I finally lifted my eyes up from his six pack I was ready to pounce him. And I did just that. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him down to kiss me. I could feel him smile against my lips as her wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me close to him and turn us around not breaking the kiss as he kicked the door closed behind us. When the door was closed his hands went to my ass and squeezed before he picked me up for my legs to wrap around his waist. If it was any other Moroi I would have been scared of them dropping me but Adrian wasn't most Moroi he was built and absolutely delectable. He carried us all the way to the bedroom and laid me down with out breaking the kiss.

His hands were under my shirt cupping my breast than he squeezed I couldn't help but moan into his mouth. In dire need of air I broke away from the battling of our tongues and turned my head to the side to give him access to my neck. I didn't even have a passing thought of him biting me. I knew from the other night we had our boundaries set and he wasn't about to cross them, if there was one Moroi I could trust it was Adrian. He would only go the pace that I set and that made me extremely happy. Somewhere along the way in my musing I realized that I had lost my shirt and my bra and Adrian's lips were drawing elicit sounds from me as he teased my nipples. This was a make out I never wanted to end. Than a thought came to my mind, and a mischievous smile spread across my lips.

I wasn't ready to go all the way with him didn't mean that I wasn't going to have fun in the mean time. And that thought brought a smile to my face as I flipped us over so I was on top straddling him. Adrian looked up at me with a puzzled face, but I just smiled down at him and begun to kiss my way from the corners of his mouth down his neck and chest, and passed his belly button as I pulled the towel from off him. The sight I caught took me a moment to sink in. I was starting to wonder where I was going to put all of it than I looked back up at Adrian. He and propped himself up on his elbows a grin on his face.

"See something you like little dhampir?" he asked me the second time tonight with a large goofy grin on his face.

I decided to play with him a little bit. I took my index finger and as softly as possible so it was feather light I ran my finger up his length, "Don t know yet, I was expecting a little _more._" I said to him as his eyes rolled into the back of his head at my touch, "But I guess I cant be too _greedy._" I said as I lowered my head and licked the tip of him. His body shuddered under my touch and I smiled. "But now it is time to get ready or my friend will be missing me." I said getting off of him and heading for my bra and shirt.

"You are such tease little dhampir." He all but growled at me as I dressed myself

"You know you like it. But now you have to get dressed."

"And what am I suppose to do with this?" he said as he pointed down at his extremely hard penis.

A wicked grin spread across my face, "I guess you need a another shower, cold preferably."

"Do you truly hate me little dhampir? Are you really going to leave me like this? I will forever be in your debt?" Adrian said with big puppy dog eyes that almost made me fall for it.

"I think you have had this problem before and learned how to relive yourself in such situations. So get to it we have things to do. When you are done you can meet me back at my room." I told him still with a mischievous smile on my face. If looks could kill Adrian's would have slain me right then and there that thought just made me laugh as I begun to leave the room.

"Laugh now little dhampir but know that I will get you back for this."

"I'm sure you will sweetheart, I'll be graciously waiting for it" I said as I closed the door behind me laughing.

When I got back to my room Lissa and Christian were there for once they both had there clothes on which I was tremendously grateful for.

"So will your _friend_ be on his best behavior?" Christian asked me as I went through my clothes, seeing that I was at a ski resort I didn't think to pack a bikini so I had to substitute it with a matching bra and thong set that I brought with me.

"Why do you ask Christian?" I asked him as I went through the rest of my clothes to find something to wear over the substituted bikini

"Because he is a womanizer and after today's events I am not in the mood to deal with him."

"Well I don't think you will have to worry about him coming after me he has his eyes set on Rose." Lissa told him as a slight blush appeared on my face.

"Don't care who he has his eyes set on I don't trust him, so if you want him to continue to breath make sure he stays away from Lissa."

"Uhmm..Christian..seeing how he is the only other spirit user I know of I'm going to have to talk to him. But I'm sure Rose wont mind being there when I do talk to him." Lissa amended seeing the look Christian was giving her.

"Sometimes you are a little bit to overprotective. Trust me Christian he won't do anything to her."

Christian still didn't appear to believe me but I could careless. I took my clothes to the bathroom to change. There was about another thirty minutes I had to wait till Adrian go here, hopefully Mason and Eddie would be here by that time.

When I was done I didn't even bother putting make-up on, so I just pulled my hair back into a ponytail and walked out of the bathroom, to see Adrian lounging on my bed talking to Lissa.

"Your early." I told him as I kissed him on the cheek.

"Didn't know I was being timed." he told me with a smirk on his face.

"No I just thought you had something to take care of before you came here."

"It didn't take long to take care of once the entertainment left." he told me as a knock came from the door.

"Hmm..sorry to hear that" I said smiling at him as I went to answer the door

"I doubt you are, you tease." Adrian said under his breath

"Never know Mr. Ivashkov, the entertainment might be a little more willing next time."

"I can only hope so."

"Hey Eddie." I said opening the door and hugging him, "Where's Mason?"

"He's with Mia, he's bringing her so I hope you don't mind. She just lost her mom so she needs someone to talk to."

"I don't like her, but if this is what will make her feel better than sure he can bring her, as long as she doesn't start any trouble."

"I don't think she will." Eddie said walking by me into the room, "Hey Lissa, Christian, Lord Ivashkov."

"Adrian please, make me sound like my father." Adrian said with a slight shudder. "So are we ready to go little dhampir?"

"No we are waiting on Mason and Mia."

"Mia? What is she coming for?"

"Her mom just died so I'm guessing Mason is helping her through it." I said shrugging as I set down next to Adrian. He putt his arms around my waist and pulled me closer to him.

"I do hope you know, that I was serious when I said I will pay you back for this afternoon." he whispered in my ear.

"And how do you plan on doing that?" I whispered back to him.

"You will have to wait and see little dhampir. I am going to do it when you least expect it."


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey guys I know it has been a while since I have updated but honestly that was because I had no clue what to put up next. I finally figured out where I wanted this next chapter to go but it mostly follows from out of the book **_**Frostbite**_**, it is slightly different being in Adrian's POV and me adding and taking out what I want, I know it isn't all that creative of me but it is all I had for the moment. The next chapter would be more from my imagination hopefully, but some parts will still follow along the book. But I still hope you guys enjoy and please REVIEW! Till the next update my beautiful readers.**

**~Kierra**

* * *

**Chapter 6**

**APOV**

When Rose's friend Mason finally showed up with Mia his face darken a little when he saw my arms wrapped around Rose as we laid across her bed. This kids jealously was almost ridicules but than again if I saw another man wrapped around Rose I would probably be just as jealous if not more so.

When everyone was ready I led everyone to our destination, they followed me to a doorway on one of the far wings on the lodge. It held a staircase that led down and down and down. It was a very confusing journey for someone that didn't know where they were going because it wound around a lot. There were electric light hanging from the walls but the farther that we went the painted walls chanted to carved stone. When we finally reached our destination the others seemed surprised that we were in a special spa area of the resort. This spa was normally only used for the most elite Moroi. So in truth it was reserved for Royal pain in the asses like myself, but I never did follow the rules hence the reason I invited Rose and her friends. If anyone had a problem with that they could kiss my ass for all I cared.

There were about thirty other people here around my age all of them looked extremely snobby I had to roll my eyes at the way they were flashing the fact they had money. But who was I to judge I too could be considered guilty of such things on occasion.

The spa consisted of a series of hot mineral pools. Maybe once they's been in a cace or something but the lodge builders had long since gotten rid of any sort of rustic surroundings. The black stone walls and ceiling were polished and beautiful as any thing else in the resort. It was like being in a cave-a really nice designer cave. Racks of towels lined the walls as did tables full of exotic foods, which I knew would be a new experience for Rose and her friends except maybe Lissa and Christian since this is the type of things they grew up around.

The baths matched the rest of the room's hewn-out decor: stone lined pools containing hot water that was heated from some underground source. Steamed filled the room and a fait, metallic smell hung in the air the sound of party goers laughing and splashing echoed around the caves.

"Ready to have some fun Little Dhampir?" I asked Rose as I pulled her close, wrapping my arms around her waist as she took in the room.

"As long as it can make me forget what happened this afternoon than yeah." she told me. Those deaths were still weighing heavily on her mind. In truth they were hanging heavy on mine as well, hence the reason for coming to the spa.

I lead her to the spa waters tentatively she lowered herself into the waters, which I knew from experience were scolding hot, that fact must have caught her by surprise, when she grimaced slightly.

After giving herself a chance to adjust to the temperature of the water she turned to the others to see what they were discussing. Not that I minded I was busy trying to flag down a server of a drink.

"What are you talking about?" I heard her asked her friend Mason.

"The meeting." he told her excitedly. I sighed inwardly, I brought her here to forget about the meeting and the dumb ass brings it up. I just hope for his sake it didn't upset her too much or his ass was mine. I may not look like much, but I know how to handle myself hence the reason I spend four hours a day- when not on vacation, because I am slightly lazy- working out in the gym to keep my physique up.

I saw the little shit try to put his arms around her but the death glare I sent him deterred him from doing so. The boy better learn fast. Rose is mine, and I have no intention of giving her up at any point in my life unless she tells me to high tail it out of her life, even then I would fight to get her back.

I looked around to see Christian and Lissa had settled down on a small shelf in the pool. Lissa curled up at his side with his arms around her and his head resting on the edge.

"The idiot wants to lead a army against strogoi."

"Hey, it was your aunt that suggested it," Mason reminded Christian.

"She only said we should find the Strigoi before they find us again," Christian countered. "She wasn't pushing for the novices to go fighting. That was the dumb ass Monica Szelsky."

Finally one of the waitress came by with a tray of drinks I took a vodka that I had ordered and handed Roses one of the pink drinks that she had pointed to. The drink was in an elegant, long stemmed crystal glass with sugardrims.

"Be careful with that Little Dhampir, it may not seem strong but it packs a punch." I told her I had a feeling she wasn't going to listen to me,, so I would be keeping tabs on what she was having. I doubted she wanted to get drunk. From what I remember of the night we met, she wasn't that big on getting drunk, so I would make sure she didn't.

She took her glass kissing me sweetly on the lips before she turned back to her conversation with her friends. I was perfectly content to let them talk as I pulled her closer to me and hold her.

"You think that is a good idea?" I heard her ask him as she cautiously took a sip of her drink. I could tell she was trying to figure out what was in the drink, but she wouldn't be able to taste the alcohol in the drink. I was pretty sure they had put Everclear in it.

Once one of the waitress returned I saw Rose eying the tray of food cautiously.

I saw her about to pick up foie gars, I knew she was not going to like that so I caught her arm before she picked it up.

"That is goose liver sweetheart." I told her when she looked at me curiously, when I grabbed her.

"Eww." she said pulling her arm away from the tray. The waitress moved on, I could see Christian snickering at her response. The little fucker was going to just let her eat it. But I had to admit I was somewhat curious as to what her response would be to the goose liver.

"What else are we doing?" Mason asked her continuing their conversation before the waitress came interrupting them. "What are you doing? You run laps with Belikov every morning. What's doing for you? For the Moroi?"

I didn't like the fact she had to be around that man. But I had to remind myself he wouldn't be around much longer since he was moving on with Tasha Ozera at the beginning of the year. So I knew he wouldn't be returning to the academy with her or any of them.

"We aren't ready." she answered him.

"We have six more months." piped in Eddie

Mason nodded in agreement "Yeah. How much more could we learn?"

"Plenty" she told him. Quite frankly I didn't like the thought of her risking her life to guard any Moroi, even her best friend Lissa. "Besides, where does it stop? Let's say they end school six months early, then send us off. What next? They decided to push back further and cut our senior year? Our junior year?"

Mason shrugged not caring if they did, this kid had a death wish. Of that I was sure. "I'm not afraid to fight I could have take on Strigoi when I was a sophomore." Was he serious?

"Yeah," she said dryly. "Just like you did the skiing on that slope."

His face flushed face from the heat turned redder from her comment. I could tell she regretted her words even more so when Christian started to laugh. Personally I didn't care. This kid was a bit to cocky for his own good. That was going to be his down fall. No one is ever ready to take on Strogoi. That I learned from my first encounter with them when I was fourteen and Guardian Welsh lost his life protecting me. I had known the man since the time I was in diapers. To see him lose his life in front of me, was traumatizing.

"Never thought I'd live to see the day when I agreed with you, Rose. But sadly, I do." Christian said to her when he stopped laughing.

I saw the cocktail waitress come around again, and I knew Rose was going to be taking another one of the drinks.

"Go easy on those Rose. If you don't you will end up drunk with a massive headache in the morning." I warned her. She just rolled her eyes at me, but I saw her slow down on the drink.

"With magic?" asked Mia suddenly.

That was the first time she had spoke since I had brought them here. The dhampirs didn't answer her because they knew nothing about fight with magic. But I had my suspicions that Lissa and Christian and even my Rose knew about fight with magic. They were all trying to hard to act like they didn't know what she was talking about.

But I could see hope spark in Mia's aura, and from what she been through today, it was probably a miracle for even that amount of hope.

After no one speaking Rose finally answered her. "I suppose. But...I don't know much about that."

I saw Rose quickly avert her eyes so I knew my suspicions were correct. I saw her down the rest of the drink before she placed the empty glass on one of the empty small shelves.

After a long silence I noticed no one else was going to starting up the conversation anytime soon. So I decided it was time to spend some alone time with my little dhampir before she decided she wanted another one of those fruity drinks. I had some paying back to do, and having her drunk while doing didn't seem like a fun idea. I wanted her to remember it, and be sober enough to participate.

"Want to go someplace quiet?" I asked her.

"Yeah." I stood up pulling her up along with me. I helped her out of the pool before I pulled my own self out.

"We'll be back in a bit guys." she told her friends before I pulled her away.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey guys! Didn't expect to be updating so soon, but the storyline for this chapter came together for me so I thought I would roll with it. So I hope you guys enjoy. This chapter also has a little of it coming from _Frostbite_, but I would say a majority of it is my imagination. And for those of you that haven't already noticed i have officially placed this story under M rating, and for your entertainment I added a little bit of Lime to this chapter. i hope you all enjoy, and as aways please REVIEW! Till the next update my beautiful readers.**

**~ Kierra**

* * *

**Chapter 7**

**RPOV**

Adrian begun to steer me away from the spa pools towards a hall with several different doors. He gently knocked on the first door and received no response so he quickly pulled us into the room. I must have had a confusing look on my face because he looked back at me with a sexy smirk before he pulled me close and kissed me like there was no tomorrow.

This kiss made my knees weak, Adrian feeling me wobble against him brought his hands down to my ass and lifted me up so I could wrap my legs around his waist all with out moving his lips from mine or his tongue from fighting for dominance against my own. Which in my surprises as at being lifted up he won, not that I was complaining.

I didn't even notice when he started moving till I felt him let me ass hit something soft. My need for air was going to allow me to see what I was sitting on. I broke from the kiss turning my head to the side gasping for air but Adrian's lips just moved to kissing my neck and collarbone. I was a daze and I really didn't care what I was sitting on but I was naturally curious.

Apparently Adrian had brought me to messaging area. There were several of the tables like the one he set me on around the room, thankfully all empty. But before I could think more into it I felt Adrian nip on one of my nipples igniting the fire in my girl parts.

"Mmm" I mumbled as his did the same for my other nipple. "Take the damn bra off Adrian."

"With pleasure." he told me. I could hear the smile in his voice. Within seconds he had my bra unhooked, on the floor, and his mouth around one of my nipples while one of his hands were playing with the other. I was a complete moaning mess at the wonders he was working on my body.

To make matters worse, well I don't think you could look at it as worse, probably exciting was the better word for it. His other hand was playing with my clit though my thong. I was officially putty in this mans hands. Once he was certain that each nipple had the same amount of attention he pulled back from his ministrations to kiss me, his hands worked to remove my thong living me completely naked in front of him. I was some what self conscious about this, making me blush slightly, but apparently I had no need to be.

"You are beautiful." he told me after he was done taking in my naked body and looking me in the eyes as he said it. I saw nothing but sincerity and lust in his eyes. He hungrily pulled me into another kiss before he started to kiss his way down my body. I knew where his final destination was going to be and that just caused the fire that was building in me to grow even hotter.

When his lips finally reached their destination I was a panting and moaning utter mess. But that didn't compare to the mess I was turning into the more Adrian worked my pussy with his tongue and fingers. By the time he added the second finger in me I climaxed. And he lapped all of it up. I felt him kiss his way back up my body but I was in to much of a utopia daze to pay much attention. He kissed, nipped, and sucked-which I am pretty sure was going to leave some hickeys- around my neck and collarbone while I came down from my high.

"Did you enjoy that beautiful?" he asked as he loomed over me staring me in the eyes with a cocky smirk on his face.

"Immensely." I told him smiling back.

"Well I am glad you did."

"I am surprised you didn't leave me turned on like I left you this afternoon." I said to him as he handed me my thong and bra. I could tell from the look in his eyes that it was with great reluctance.

"I thought about it. But with the way you were responding to me I was enjoying myself entirely to much."

"But not enough to cum?" I said looking down at the obvious boner that was still resting in his trunks.

"Care to help?" he asked with his panty dropping smile on his face. In response to him I just hopped off the table and place my hands on his chest slowly making him walk backwards till his back hit the wall. Kissing him chastely on the lips before I dropped to my knees pulling his trunks down with me.

For the next several minutes it seemed as though Adrian was in heaven.

When we finally returned from the message area both of us with cheesy ass grins on our faces we found my friends were no longer in the spa pools.

"Where could the have gotten off to?" I asked Adrian. He just shrugged his shoulders and led me back to the pools. Neither of us apparently wanted to get back in the water so we set at the edge and let our feet dangle in the hot water, I was sitting in between his legs my back resting against his chest and my head on his shoulders. He just smiled down at me when I looked up at him and kissed me on the side of my head while he moved his arms around my waist.

"Thanks for this. It really took my mind off of todays events." I told him as I closed my eyes and leaned into him.

"That is what I am here for little dhampir." he said kissing me on the top of my head.

"Here comes Lissa love." Adrian told me I must have drifted off slightly, because he shook me lightly. Most of the party Moroi were gone so it was quiet and relaxing in here. And with me wrapped protectively in Adrian's arms I was just completely comfortable.

"There you are," Lissa said as she set down beside me indian style so she wouldn't have to put her feet in the water. Than she glanced up at Adrian giving him a nod, "Hey."

"Hey yourself cousin," he returned, using the family terms royals smites used around each other.

"You okay?" she asked me.

I smiled back at her before I answered. "I'm perfect."

"Good," she said smiling back at me.

"How did you find us?" Adrian asked her.

"Walked all around the spa when you guys didn't come back after forty five minutes. Than checked all the rooms, one room I passed had a great amount of activity going on so I didn't look there," thankfully with all the steam that was in this place she wouldn't notice the extra blush added to my cheeks from her stressing of activity, because I was pretty sure she was talking about the room my and Adrian came out of not to long ago. "so I checked all the other rooms you guys weren't in any, and when I came back this way I saw the two of you sitting here."

"Oh," he said sounding disappointed. "I thought you might have used you bond."

"Rose told you about that?"

"Yes and no. She mentioned it in passing but I had already known about it. And before you ask I will not reveal all my secrets. And if it wasn't from that it is somewhat obvious when you know what to look for. The way you two act around each other...it hard to explain. It's pretty cool...all the old myths are true."

"The bond only works one way. Rose can sense what I'm feeling and thinking but I can't do to here." Lissa said regarding him warily.

"Frustrating isn't?"

He said touching her on the shoulder. The instant his fingers touched her, she gasped. It was as

strangest look crossed her face. Even drunk, I felt the flood of joy that came pouring through the bond.

She stared at Adrian in wonder. His eyes were locked onto hers too. I didn't understand why they

looking at each other like that, but it bothered me.

If I didn't know any better I would feel jealous, but I figured it was a Spirit thing.

Before I could say anything to comment on that I saw Christian and the others standing not to far from us. "There's Christian."

She blinked back to reality. All of us turned to look at them. She sprang up looking mildly guilty. Christian was regarding her curiously.

"We getting ready to leave," he said.

"Okay" told him. She looked down at me. "Ready?"

"Staying with Adrian tonight. So you guys go ahead."

"Nice talking to you cousin." Adrian told her before she got to far away.

"So staying with me tonight?" he asked wagging his eyebrows.

"Sleeping. There will be no extra curricular activities. I am beat."

"I can be happy with that little dhampir. I don't need to ravish you tonight just holding you tonight will be enough for me." He said as he helped me up and wrapped his arms around my waist.

"Glad to hear it."

I do really believe I could be falling for Adrian Ivashkov. After what happened with Dmitri I thought falling in love would scare me, but when it's falling for Adrian the thought excited me.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

RPOV

After coming from the spa last night I stayed at Adrian's again. I feel asleep with him holding me. It was probably one of the most peaceful nights sleep I had. And that probably had something to do with the fact that Adrian dream-walked with me. At first he had placed us where we first met on the porch, than he took me to his grandmother's gardens in Romania they were absolutely beautiful. He promised that he would take me to the real gardens on day. I truly hoped he kept that promise.

When I woke up in the morning I had the chance to watch Adrian sleep. He looked absolutely angelic in his sleep. He was beautiful and I knew without a doubt he was mine to love, even if he didn't know I loved him yet. Call me crazy after the heartache I had just had with Dmitri but when it came to Adrian my heart was not mine to have solely to my self. In the three days that I had known him he had commandeered my heart. And to be honest with myself I didn't really want to take it back from him. I just hope he wouldn't break it.

Since I really wanted to see his eyes this morning before I left to go back to my room to clean up and start my day, I decided to speed up the process of waking him up.

I made sure he thoroughly enjoyed his blow job before I planted a kiss on his pouty lips and looked in to his still lust ridden green eyes before I left. I would see him later tonight because he had his familial duties to take care of, and I wanted to exercise this morning. Before I begun my day.

So for an hour and a half I worked out in the little gym they had here at the resort before I returned to my room. I showered and dressed in a comfy pair of black sweat paints that were huge on me but I like the room in the, and one of my white camis. I was about to paint my toenails when there was a knock at my door. Since I was the only one in the room with Lissa being out somewhere with Christian most likely I went to answer the door.

I saw one of the hotel staff standing outside with a large box in both arms. He shifted it slightly so that he could peer around and look at me.

"I'm looking for Rose Hathaway."

"That's me."

I took the box from. It was big but not that heavy. With a quick thank-you, I shut the door, wondering if I should have tipped him. Oh well.

I set on the floor with the box. There was a card taped the top of it. Deciding to read the card before I opened the box I proceed to do just that.

_I thought I should rectify the grievous error of you having no perfume, like every beautiful woman should, so I took the liberty of ordering a few for you to choose from. I was going to give the box to you this morning but you disappeared on me before I could come down from state of utopia you sent me to this morning, and don't worry Little Dhampir I plan on returning that favor to you very soon, minus the leaving before you come down from you high. I hope you enjoy the perfumes._

_Simply and Forever Yours,_

_Adrian._

I smiled after I finished reading the letter. Though to some it may not seem like much but I would cherish it. I gingerly set the letter down before I opened the box. Using one of the pens that was one the bedside table I cut the tape that was keeping the box closed. There were at least thirty little perfume bottles in the box. Some of them I knew I never heard of before. The ranged from being the insanely expensive, movie-star caliber to the cheap kinds that I could fine at the drug store. Eternity. Angel. Vanilla Fields. Jade Blossom. Michael Kors. Poison. Hypnotic Poison. Pure. Poison. Happy. Light Blue. Jõvan Musk. Pink Sugar. Vera Wang.

One by One, I picked up the boxes, and read the descriptions, then pulled out all of the bottles fore a sniff. I went through them all trying to find what I liked so I could take the rest back to the front desk to have them sent back to Adrian. While going through the box I remembered what Adrian had said about with the right perfume it would blend with my scent, something he constantly told me he adored. I even learned last night after we returned from the spa that it calmed him down, weird I know. But whatever letter he read that was attached to his door last night had pissed him off. He looked ready to go find who ever had placed the offending letter on his door when I pulled him to sit down beside me on the couch. He pulled me into his laps and took deep calming breaths as he rested his head on top of mine. After he calmed down he told me that my scent made him feel really relaxed.

That should have been somewhat creepy, but when you are dealing with a vampire that has very sensitive sense of smell, it's kind of endearing.

Even going through the thoughts I still kept pulling bottle out and sniffing some and spray others in the air. Serendipity. Dolce & Gabbana. Shalimar. after note hit me: rose,violet, sandalwood, orange, vanilla, orchid ...

By the time I was done my nose barely worked anymore, and I wish I had some coffee beans to clear my senses of the many different scents of the perfumes.. All of these had been designed for humans. Thad a weaker sense of smell than vampires and even dhampirs, so these scents were extra strong. I a new appreciation for what Adrian had meant about only a splash of perfume being necessary. If all these bottles were making me dizzy, I could only imagine what a Moroi would smell.

After going through the whole box of the perfumes I returned to the one I really liked. I took the little red bottle of the box and re-sniffed it. It was a crisp, sweet fragrance. There was some kind of fruit-but nota candied or sugary fruit. I racked my brain for the scent I'd smelled once on a girl I knew in my dorm. She'd told me the name. It was cherry...but sharper. Currant, that what is was. And here it wasn't in this perfume, mixed with some florals: lily of the valley and the other I couldn't identify.. Whatever the bled, something about this one appealed to me. It was sweet- but not overly done. I read the box looking fore the name. Amor Amor.

"Fitting," I said smiling to myself as I sprayed a little on myself. I placed this one aside and begun to pack the rest of the bottles away, I took two other perfumes that I liked and might try out during my packing. After everything was back in the box I hoisted the box up in my arms to take it down to the front dest and acquire some packing tape to reseal the box.

I was going to leave the box for them to send back to Adrian's room but I decided that I would take it. I walked down to his room and stopped in front of his door. It was then I remembered that he might be with his family but I figured since I was here I might as well try and if he wasn't there than I would take the box back to the front desk. Before I could even raise my hand to knock on the door it opened, and Adrian stood before me.

"Hey Little Dhampir, I thought we were meeting later tonight." he said as he leaned to peck me on the lips.

"I know, I was just retiring these." I said as I handed the box over to him. He took it and set down on the table that was beside the door.

"Did you like any of them?" he asked me. "Do you want me to get you some more?"

"I found one that I really liked and took out two others I want to try out,"

"Good." he said leaning back down to kiss me. "I would try to guess as to which one you like but there are so many different ones I smell on you, it is a sensory overload."

"Sorry, I'll make sure to shower before you see me again, don't want you getting to dizzy." I said smiling against his lips.

Suddenly, a voice was behind him asked, "Rose? Is that you?"

I peered beyond him. Lissa.

"What are you doing here?" I asked raising-trying to-an eyebrow at here and Adrian.

"What are you doing here?" she asked me back.

"Visiting my boyfriend."

"Boyfriend?" Adrian asked with a smirk on his sexy lips.

"Well unless you have a problem with such a title?"

"I don't. I actually kind of like it."

"Good." I said kissing him lightly. Than moving away from him. "But now I would like to know why you are here Lissa."

A breath of aftershave hit me, and then I heard a voice behind me: "Me too."

I jumped. Spinning around, I saw Dimitri standing in the hallway. I had no clue what he was doing in the Ivashkov wing. Than I remembered Tasha's rooms were in the same wing.

Dmitri no doubt always expected me to get in to all sorts of trouble, but I think seeing lissa there caught him off guard. He stepped past me and came into the room. Looking between the three of us. It was enough to make me want to roll my eyes, and that is exactly what I did.

"Male and female students aren't suppose to be in each other's rooms."

I knew pointing out that Adrian wasn't technically a student wasn't going to get us out of trouble so I decided to keep my mouth shut for once.

"I am not a student, and Rose was just dropping something off. And Lissa had a question to ask me."

"You shouldn't have let them in." scolded Dmitri. I could see Adrian's eyes narrow sharply at Dmitri. "I'm sure you know the rules at St. Vladimir's."

Adrian just shrugged his shoulders and pulled his hand through his hair nonchalantly, "Yeah, I know them. But I don't follow any of the rules at my school why should I follow the ones at St. Vlads?"

"Perhaps not," Dmitri said coldly. "but I would have thought you'd respect those rules."

Adrian smirked at him, "The same could have been said for you. It surprises me to hear you lecture about underage girls."

"Adrian," I said with a warning in my voice. His eyes flashed to mine. Our eyes locked having a silent conversation between them. He understood, I wanted him to back off the subject since Lissa was in here and had no clue what he referring to.

I saw him give a slight nod in admission. Than turned my focus back on Dmitri. I saw anger kindled in Dmitri's eyes, and for a moment I thought he was going to loose control. But he stayed composed, and only his clenched fist showed how angry he was.

"Besides," Adrian continued a moment later, "nothing sordid was going on. We were just hanging out."

"If you want to 'hangout' with young girls, do it at one of the public areas."

Adrain laugh just then, a weird kind of laugh made my skin crawl slightly. With concern I took a step towards to see if he was alright. Adrian should never laugh like that. I saw my movement had sparked something in Dmitri's eyes that I couldn't identify but I could care less. "Young girls? Young girls? Sure. Young and old at the same time. They've barely seen anything in life, yet they' already seen too much. One marked with life and the other marked with death," I figured he was referring to my and Lissa's Aura, but Dmitri didn't know that. "but they're the ones you're worried about? Worry about yourself, dhampir. Worry bout you, and worry about me. We're the ones who are young."

I could only stare at Adrian. I was beginning to worry if all the alcohol he consumed and the cigarettes he smoked were finally starting to take a toll on his body. Or maybe it was the darkness from the spirit.

Greatly concerned I went to him and placed one hand on his bicep the other on his cheek. He looked me in the eye and gave a weak smile than kissed me on my furrowed brow, placing his hand on top of mine that was resting on his bicep before he closed his eyes to calm himself. He breath in deeply, I knew even with all the perfume he smelled on me my scent was still helping.

When he was calm and return from his temporary trip to Crazyville, he pulled away from me and turned away to stroll towards the window and pulled out his cigarettes. So I was right, the Spirit was bothering him.

"You ladies should probably go. He is right. I am a bad influence."

"I'll see you tonight Adrian." I told him knowing he wanted to be alone. I would rather stay with him to help him get passed this but with Dmitri in the room I knew that wasn't an option. I exchanged looks with Lissa she understood me and started making her way to the door.

"I know Little Dhampir." Adrian told me before I shut the door on my way out Dmitri behind me.

"Don't worry about him Rose he'll be alright."

"I know Liss." I told her giving her a weak smile.

When we reached the lobby, I started to follow Lissa back to our room, so I could find out what she was discussing with Adrian and to see if she knew what he was talking about. But those plans were thwarted when Dmitri called to me.

"Rose can I speak with you."

I felt a sympathetic rush of feelings from Lissa. I turned towards Dmitri and stepped off to the side of the room out of the way of those passing through. A party of Moroi in diamonds and fur swept past us, anxious looks on their faces. Bellhops followed with their luggage. People were still leaving in search of safer place. Strigoi paranoia as far from over.

Dmitri's voice snapped my attention back to him. "That's Adrian Ivashkov." he said the name the same way he did the last time we spoke of this.

I rolled my eyes in annoyance, "I know who he is Guardian Belikov." My using his name formally seemed to stump him slightly but didn't stop him from proceeding.

"That is the second time I have seen you with him. Even after my warning."

"Okay." I said slowly, not really caring as to what he was getting at. "We hangout"

Dmitri arched an eyebrow, then jerked his head back towards were we'd come from. "You hang out in his room a lot."

"What happens between me and him is none of you business." I said keeping my tone similar to his as when he told me the same thing when I asked him about him and Tanya several days before he told me that he planned to become her Guardian.

"Actually, as long as you are at the Academy what you do is my business."

"Not my personal life. You don't have any say in that."

"You're not an adult yet."

"I'm close enough. Besides, it isn't like I'll magically become an adult on my eighteenth birthday."

"Clearly," he said.

With narrowed eyes I said, "That's not what I meant. I meant-"

"I know what you meant. And the technicalities don't matter right now. You're an Academy student. I'm your instructor. It's my job to help you and to keep you safe. Being in the bedroom of someone like him...well, that's not safe."

"I can handle Adrian Ivashkov," I muttered. "He may act a little weird at times, but he is harmless." I said tempted to tell all things that Adrian was, but I realized I don't owe him any explanation. "Maybe you should be more focused on your own personal life. You will be leaving to live with Tasha Ozera in a few weeks. I would have thought now was the time to get your things into order, so you can be prepared for that."

"Rose-"

"Besides wasn't that who you were visiting when you caught Lissa and me at Adrian's?"

"I was actually visiting your mother."

Great, just what I need the two of them in the same room. "Hmm." was the only response I could give to him.

"We were looking over some new data about the Strigoi in the Drozdov attack."

That caught my Drozdovs. The Badicas. Suddenly everything about this morning seemed less important. Well except my growing worry over Adrian's health, but that was to be pondered at a later time.

"What'd you find out?" I asked him quietly.

"We've managed to track some of the Strigoi," he said. "Or at least the humans with them. There were witnesses who lived nearby who spotted a few of the cars the group used. The plates were all from different states-the group appears to have split up, probably to make it harder for us. But one of the witnesses did catch one plate number. It's registered to an address in Spokane."

"Spokane?" I asked incredulously. "Spokane,Washington? Who makes Spokane their hideout?" I'd been there once. It was about as boring as every other backwoods northwest city.

"Strigoi, apparently," he said, deadpan. "The address was fake, but other evidence shows they really are there. There's a kind of shopping plaza that has some underground tunnels. There've been Strigoi sightings around that area."

"Then ..." I frowned. "Are you going to go after them? Is somebody going to? I mean, this is what Tasha's been saying all along... If we know where they are ..."

He shook his head. "The guardians can't do anything without permission from higher up. That's not going to happen anytime soon."

I sighed. "Because the Moroi talk too much."

"They're being cautious," he said.

I felt myself getting worked up again. "Come on. Even you can't want to be careful on this one. You actually know where Strigoi are hiding out. Strigoi who massacred children. Don't you want to go after them when they don't expect it?" I sounded like Mason now.

"It's not that easy," he said. "We answer to the Guardian Council and the Moroi government. We can't just run off and act on impulse. And anyway, we don't know everything yet. You should never walk into any situation without knowing all the details."

"Zen life lessons again," I sighed. I ran a hand through my hair, tucking it behind my ears. "Why'd you tell me this, anyway? This is guardian stuff. Not the kind of thing you let novices in on."

"I've said a few things...today...that I shouldn't have. Things that insulted your age. You're seventeen...but you're capable of handling and processing the same things those much older

than you do."

"Really?"

He nodded. "You're still really young in a lot of ways- and act young-but the only way to really

change that is to treat you like an adult. I need to do that more. I know you'll take this information and understand how important it is and keep it to yourself."

I didn't love being told I acted young, but I liked the idea that he would talk to me like an equal.

"Dimka," came a voice. Tasha Ozera walked up to us. She smiled when she saw me. "Hello, Rose."

"Hey,"

She placed a hand on Dimitri's forearm, sliding her fingers over the leather of his coat.

"You've got that look," she told him.

"What look?" he asked. The stern look he'd worn with me vanished. There was a small, knowing smile on his lips. Almost a playful one.

"That look that says you're going to be on duty all day."

"Really? I have a look like that?" There was a teasing, mocking tone to his voice.

She nodded. "When does your shift technically end?"

Dimitri actually looked-I swear-sheepish. "An hour ago."

"You can't keep doing this," she groaned. "You need a break."

"Well ... if you consider that I'm always Lissa's guardian..."

"For now," she said knowingly. "There's a big pool tournament going on upstairs."

"I can't," he said, but the smile was still on his face. "Even though I haven't played in a long time ..."

What the-? Dimitri played pool?

"Come on, then," she begged. "Just one round! We could take them all."

"I can't," he repeated. He sounded regretful. "Not with everything going on."

She sobered a little. "No. I suppose not." Glancing at me, she said teasingly, "I hope you realize what a hard-core role model you have here. He's never off duty."

"Well," I said, with genuine sadness in my voice and a bit of bitterness because she was the reason I wouldn't have him as a mentor anymore"for now, at least."

A look of realization flashed across her face, than sadness, seeing her said must not have been something appreciated to well.

"We're finished here, Rose. Remember what I said."

"Yeah," I said, turning away. I suddenly wanted to go to my room and veg for a while. This day was making me tired already. "Definitely."

I hadn't gotten far when I ran into Mason. Good God. Men everywhere.

"You're mad," he said as soon as he looked at my face. He had a knack for discovering my moods.

"What happened?"

"Some ... authority problems. It's been a weird morning." I told him as we walked together, "Want to hangout for a while?"

"Sure." he told me

Opening my mind, I searched for Lissa. She was no longer in our room. She'd gone off to some other royal event, no doubt still practicing for Priscilla Voda's big dinner. "Come on," I told Mason. "We'll go to my room." Aside from when Dimitri inconveniently happened to be passing by someone's room, nobody was really enforcing the mixed-gender rule. It was practically like being back in my Academy dorms.

"So what did you think about what Guardian Belikov said." he asked me as we set down on one of the couches in my and Lissa rooms.

"You were listening?"

"I didn't mean to be overhearing your conversation. I was just there when you guys just started talking."

I didn't even realize there was someone close enough to use to listen in. That was somewhat careless on both my and Dmitri parts to be discussing such things and not make sure there wasn't someone around that could over hear us.

"I don't know really. But it not like it matter's they won't be doing anything about it."

"What? They're not doing anything? How did I miss that part of the conversation."

I shrugged and sat on my bed. "Dimitri said-"

"I know, I know ... I heard you. About being careful and all that." Mason paced around my room

angrily. "But if those Strigoi go after another Moroi...another family...damn it! They're going to wish they weren't so careful then."

"Forget about it," I said. I felt kind of miffed that me on a bed wasn't enough to deter him from crazy battle plans. "There's nothing we can do."

He stopped walking."We could go."

"Go where?" I asked stupidly.

"To Spokane. There are buses you can catch in town."

"I ... wait. You want us to go to Spokane and take on Strigoi?"

"Sure. Eddie'd do it too ... we could go to that mall. They wouldn't be organized or anything, so we could wait and pick them off one by one ..."

I could only stare. "When did you get so dumb?"

"Oh, I see. Thanks for the vote of confidence."

"It's not about confidence," I argued, standing up and approaching him. "You kick major ass. I've seen it. But this ... this isn't the way. We can't go get Eddie and take on Strigoi. We need more people. More planning. More information."

The fire of battle was still in his eyes, but I could tell his mind was shifting to more immediate concerns. Like me.

"I didn't mean to call you dumb," I told him. "I'm sorry."

"You're just saying that now because you want to have your way with me."

"Of course I am," I said sarcastically rolling my eyes and laughing a little, happy to see him relaxing. The nature of this conversation reminded me a little of the one Christian and Lissa had had in the chapel.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, he said, "You really are his student."

"Whose?"

"Belikov's. I was just thinking about when you mentioned needing more information and stuff. You act just like him. You've gotten all serious since you've been hanging out with him."

"No, I haven't."

"You've just changed, that's all. It's not bad ... just different."

Something about that made me angry, but before I could snap back, his mouth met mine in a kiss.

I wiggled out of his reach. "No ... don't." and stood from the couch.

Mason stopped immediately because that's the kind of guy he was.

"Too much?" he asked.

He reached for me again, and I moved farther away. "No, I just don't...I don't feel that way about you Mason." I told him as I back away from him

"I..." He was speechless for a moment.

I swallowed, feeling stupid. "I'm sorry, Mase. I just can't."

He sat up and ran a hand over his hair. "Okay. All right."

I could hear the hardness in his voice. "You're mad."

He glanced over at me, a stormy expression on his face. "I'm just confused. I can't read your signals. One moment you're hot, the next you're cold. And every since the Ivashkov came around-"

"Mason, I never felt that way about you. And I am sorry if I have lead you to believe otherwise. But you and me can never ever be more than friends. I'm sorry."

"Is there something you want me to do?" he asked when I didn't say anything. "Something that'll... I don't know. Make you feel better about me?"

"Mason I don't think-"

With a groan, he stood up and headed for the door. The door slammed behind him. The noise made me flinch, and as I stared at where Mason had just stood, _What the hell happens now?_


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

RPOV

Lissa found me later in the day. I'd fallen asleep after Mason left, too dejected to leave the bed. Her slamming of the door jolted me awake. I was happy to see her. I needed to spill about the fumbled thing with Mason, but before I could, I read her feelings. They were as troubled as mine. So, as always, I put her first.

"What happened?"

She sat on her bed, sinking into the feather duvet, her feelings both furious and sad. "Christian."

"Really?" I'd never known them to fight. They teased each other a lot, but it was hardly the kind of thing that could nearly bring her to tears.

"He found out... I was with Adrian this morning."

"Oh, wow," I said. "Yeah. That might be a problem." Standing up, I walked over to the dresser and found my brush. Wincing, I stood in front of the gilt-framed mirror and began brushing out the snarls acquired during my nap. "I can talk to him if you want to."

She groaned. "But nothing happened! Christian's freaking out over nothing. I can't believe he doesn't trust me."

"He trusts you. The whole thing's just weird, that's all." I told her "Jealousy makes people do and say stupid things."

"But nothing happened," she repeated. "I mean, you were there and Adrian's attention was definitely focused completely on you as soon as you walked into the room. And what was in the box?'

"Adrian sent me a bunch of perfume."

"Why?"

"Because I told him when we met that I didn't own any. He thought I should so he sent me like thirty different brands to chose from. I found one I really like and two others that I will try out."

"That was sweet of him."

I nodded with a smile.

"Whoa."

"What?"

"You really like him!" Lissa gushed at me. Her eyes sparkling with happiness for my happiness.

"Yeah I do. I know we have only known each other fore a few short days but it feels like a lifetime."

"Instant love connection. That how it was for Christian and me. Soul-mates. I just wish he would see that." she said the last part sadly.

"He'll come around Lissa. Once he realizes that you only have eyes for him. Besides I think he a little intimidated by the fact that you and Adrian share something so unique. By the two of you being the only two Spirit either of you know of it creates a special relationship between the two of you. What Christian has yet to realize is that the relationship between you and Adrian is platonic. And the relationship between you and him is like you said is that of soul mates. He just needs to get his pride in place, and when he does he'll come crawling back to you."

"Thanks Rose. I need to hear that."

"What are best friends for Liss?"

"So now tell me what is up with you?"

"Nothing's up with me."

"Whatever, Rose. I'm not psychic like you, but I know when you're pissed off about something. You've been kind of down since Christmas. What's up?"

Now wasn't the time to get into what had happened on Christmas when my mom told me about Tasha and Dimitri. But I did tell Lissa the story about Mason-editing out why I had stopped-and simply driving home how I had.

"Well..." she said when I finished. "That was your right."

"I know. But I kind of led him on. I can see why he'd be upset."

"You guys can probably fix it, though. Go talk to him. He's crazy about you."

It was more than miscommunication. Things with Mason and me couldn't be patched up so easily. "I don't know," I told her.

"You can give it a try. If anything it will show him that you really want to be friends with him."

"I guess you are right. I'll see what I can do once he had time to cool off some."

"Don't take to long. You two are great friends and if you take to long he might think you don't care."

"That can go both ways."

"Yes, but he is a guy and is probably to stubborn to admit to his mistake. Like Christian." Her face darkened. "Christian. I still can't believe he's being so stupid about this."

I didn't mean to, but I laughed. "Liss, you guys'll kiss and make up in like a day. More than kiss,

probably."

It slipped out before I could stop it. Her eyes widened. "You know." She shook her head in

exasperation. "Of course you know."

"Sorry," I said. I hadn't meant to let her know I knew about the sex thing, not until she told me herself.

She eyed me. "How much do you know?"

"Um, not much," I lied. I'd finished brushing my hair but began playing with the brush's handle in order to avoid her eyes.

"I have got to learn to keep you out of my mind," she muttered. "Explains why you aren't here in the mornings."

"Only way I can 'talk' to you lately." Another slip up.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she demanded.

"Nothing ... I..." She was giving me a sharp look. "I... I don't know. I just feel like we don't talk as much anymore."

"Takes two to fix that," she said, voice kind again.

"You're right," I said

True, I was guilty in my own way of locking things up-but I had wanted to talk to her a number of times lately. The timing just never seemed to be right-not even now. "You know, I never thought you'd be first. Or I guess I never thought I'd be a senior and still be a virgin."

"Yeah," she said dryly. "Me either."

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?"

She grinned, then caught sight of her watch. Her smile fell. "Ugh. I've got to go to Priscilla's banquet. Christian was supposed to go with me, but he's off being an idiot..." Her eyes focused hopefully on me.

"What? No. Please, Liss. You know how I hate those formal royal things."

"Oh, come on," she begged. "Christian flaked out. You can't throw me to the wolves. And didn't you just say we needed to talk more?" I groaned. "Besides, when you're my guardian, you'll have to do these things all the time."

"I know," I said darkly. "I thought I could maybe enjoy my last six months of freedom."

But in the end, she conned me into going with her, as we'd both known she would, I had to call Adrian and let him know that our plans to meet up this afternoon would have to be put on hold, but seeing how he was going to be at the event we would still have sometime to hangout to day.

We didn't have much time, and I had to do a rush shower, blow-dry, and makeup job. I'd brought

Tasha's dress on a whim, and I was grateful for her present. I pulled on the silken material, happy to see the shade of red was just as killer on me as I'd imagined. It was a long, Asian-style dress with flowers embroidered into the silk.

The high neck and long hem covered a lot of skin, but the material clung to me and looked sexy in a different kind of way than showing a lot of skin did. My black eye was practically nonexistent by now.

Lissa, as always, looked amazing. She wore a deep purple dress by Johnna Raski, a well-known Moroi designer. It was sleeveless and made of satin. The tiny amethyst-like crystals set into the straps sparkled against her pale skin. She wore her hair up in a loose, artfully styled bun.

When we reached the banquet room, we drew a few eyes. I don't think the royals had expected the Dragomir princess to bring her dhampir friend to this highly anticipated, invitation-only dinner. But hey, Lissa's invite had said "and guest." She and I took our places at one of the tables with some royals whose names I promptly forgot. They were happy to ignore me, and I was happy to be ignored.

Besides, it wasn't like there weren't plenty of other distractions. This room was done all in silver and blue. Midnight blue silk cloths covered the tables, so shiny and smooth that I was terrified to eat on them. Sconces of beeswax candles hung all over the walls, and a fireplace decorated with stained glass crackled away in one corner. The effect was a spectacular panorama of color and light, dizzying to the eye. In the corner, a slim Moroi woman played soft cello music, her face dreamy as she focused on the song. The clinking of crystal wineglasses complemented the strings' low, sweet notes.

Dinner was equally amazing. The food was elaborate, but I recognized everything on my plate (china, of course) and liked all of it. No foie gras here. Salmon in a sauce of shiitake mushrooms. A salad with pears and goat cheese. Delicate almond-stuffed pastries for dessert. My only complaint was that the portions were small. The food seemed more like it was there to simply decorate the plates, and I swear, I finished it in ten bites. Moroi might still need food along with their blood, but they didn't need as much as a human-or, say, a growing dhampir girl-needed. Still, the food alone could have justified me coming along on this venture, I decided. Except, when the meal ended, Lissa told me we couldn't leave.

"We have to mingle," she whispered.

Mingle?

Lissa laughed at my discomfort. "You're the social one."

It was true. In most circumstances, I was the one who put myself out there and wasn't afraid to talk to people. Lissa tended to be shyer. Only, with this group, the tables were turned. This was her element, not mine, and it amazed me to see just how well she could interact with royal high society now. She was perfect, polished and polite. Everyone was eager to talk to her, and she always seemed to know the right thing to say. She wasn't using compulsion, exactly, but she definitely put out an air that drew others to her. I think it might have been an unconscious effect of spirit. Even with the meds, her magical and natural charisma came through. Whereas intense social interactions had once been forced and stressful for her, she now conducted them with ease. I was proud of her. Most of the conversation stayed pretty light: fashion, royal love lives, etc. No one seemed to want to spoil the atmosphere with ugly Strigoi talk.

So I clung to her side for the rest of the night. I tried to tell myself it was just practice for the future, when I'd follow her around like a quiet shadow anyway. The truth was, I just felt too uncomfortable with this group and knew my usual snarky defense mechanisms really weren't useful here. Plus, I was painfully aware that I was the only dhampir dinner guest. There were other dhampirs, yes, but they were in formal guardian mode, hovering on the periphery of the room.

As Lissa worked the crowd, we drifted over to a small group of Moroi whose voices were growing louder. One of them I recognized. He was the guy from the fight that I'd helped break up, only this time he wore a striking black tuxedo instead of a swimsuit. He glanced up at our approach, blatantly checked us out, but apparently didn't remember me. Ignoring us, he continued on with his argument. Not surprisingly, Moroi protection was the topic. He was the one who'd been in favor of Moroi going on the offensive against the Strigoi.

"What part of 'suicide' don't you understand?" asked one of the men standing nearby. He had silvery hair and a bushy mustache. He wore a tux too, but the younger guy looked better in one. "Moroi training as soldiers will be the end of our race."

"It's not suicide," exclaimed the young guy. "It's the right thing to do. We have to start looking out for ourselves. Learning to fight and use our magic is our greatest asset, other than the guardians."

"Yes, but with the guardians, we don't need other assets," said Silver Hair. "You've been listening to non-royals. They don't have any guardians of their own, so of course they're scared. But that's no reason to drag us down and up tour lives at risk."

"Then don't," said Lissa suddenly. Her voice was soft, but everyone in the little group stopped and looked at her. "When you talk about Moroi learning how to fight, you make it sound like an

all-or-nothing matter. It's not. If you don't want to fight, then you shouldn't have to. I completely

understand." The man looked slightly mollified. "But, that's because you can rely on your guardians. A lot of Moroi can't. And if they want to learn self-defense, there's no reason why they shouldn't do it on their own."

The younger guy grinned triumphantly at his adversary. "There, you see?"

"It's not that easy," countered Silver Hair. "If it was just a matter of you crazy people wanting to get yourselves killed, then fine. Go do it. But where are you going to learn all these so-called fighting skills?"

"We'll figure the magic out on our own. Guardians will teach us actual physical fighting."

"Yes, see? I knew that was where this was going. Even if the rest of us don't take part in your suicide mission, you still want to strip us of our guardians to train up your pretend army."

The young guy scowled at the word pretend, and I wondered if more fists would fly. "You owe it to us."

"No, they don't," said Lissa.

Intrigued gazes turned her way again. This time, it was Silver Hair who regarded her triumphantly. The younger guy's features flushed with anger.

"Guardians are the best battle resources we have."

"They are," she agreed, "but that doesn't give you the right to take them away from their duty." Silver Hair practically glowed.

"Then how are we supposed to learn?" demanded the other guy.

"The same way guardians do," Lissa informed him. "If you want to learn to fight, go to the academies. Form classes and start at the beginning, the same way the novices do. That way, you won't be taking guardians away from active protection. It's a safe environment, and the guardians there specialize in teaching students anyway." She paused thoughtfully. "You could even start making defense part of the standard curriculum for Moroi students already there."

Astonished stares fell on her, mine included. It was such an elegant solution, and everyone else around us realized it. It gave no party 100 percent of its demands, but it met most in a way that didn't really harm the other side. Pure genius. The other Moroi studied her with wonder and fascination.

Suddenly, everyone started talking at once, excited about the idea. They drew Lissa in, and soon there was a passionate conversation going on about her plan. I got shuffled to the edges and decided that was just fine. Then I retreated altogether and sought out a corner near a door.

Along the way, I passed a server with a tray of hors d'oeuvres. Still hungry, I eyed them suspiciously but saw nothing that looked like the foie gras from the other day. I gestured to one that looked like some sort of braised, rare meat.

"Is that goose liver?" I asked.

She shook her head. "Sweetbread."

That didn't sound bad. I reached for it.

"It's pancreas," said a voice behind me. I jerked back.

"What?" I squeaked. The waitress took my shock for rejection and moved on.

Adrian Ivashkov moved into my line of sight, looking immensely pleased with himself.

"Are you messing with me?" I asked. "'Sweetbread' is pancreas?" I don't know why that shocked me so much. Moroi consumed blood. Why not internal organs? Still, I repressed a shudder.

Adrian shrugged. "It's really good."

I shook my head in disgust. "Oh, man. Rich people suck." I said as he pulled me towards him, his arm around my waist. He leaned in to kiss me on my forehead.

His amusement continued. "Seriously it isn't that bad. One day I will get you to try all the 'rich people food'."

"I don't think you could pay for me to eat such food." I scoffed. He was dressed to perfection, as always. "Some parts of animals are not meant to be eaten."

"That is what you say now but I am sure I can come up with a way to _pleasuring_ you into eating 'rich people food.'"

"I doubt it. I don't even like you that much." I said with a straight face. How I managed I have no clue. But from the look in his eyes I knew he saw threw it.

He flashed one of his tantalizing smiles, "I don't know," he teased. He looked perfectly sane now, exhibiting no trace of the weird behavior I'd witnessed in his room. He looked a lot better in a tuxedo than any guy I'd seen in there so far.

"No?" asked Adrian, still smiling. He leaned toward me, like he had a secret to share. "Then why are you wearing my perfume?"

I did blush deeply at his statement. "I'm not."

He laughed. "Of course you are. I can smell it on you. It's nice. Sharp...but still sweet-just like I'm sure you are deep down inside. And you got it right, you know. Just enough to add an edge...but not enough to drown your own scent." The way he said "scent" made it sound like a dirty word.

And it had me thinking very _dirty_ thoughts. I could feel my arousal spike to an all time high. And Adrian being the aura reader he is could also see and no doubt smell my arousal for him. His beautiful emerald green eyes got impossibly darker. That did nothing to ease my arousal.

"Keep this up Little Dhampir and I will be taking you back to room and make sure we enjoy copious amount of fun between my sheets."

"I might take you up on that offer later." I told him as I laid my hand on his chest. "But right now I am here for Lissa."

"Ooh, Rose Hathaway is here to play, folks." He paused and took a glass of what looked like

champagne from a passing waiter. "You want one?"

"No not right now, maybe later."

"Alright." Adrian handed me a glass anyway, then shooed the waiter away and took a drink of the

champagne. I had a feeling it wasn't his first of the night. "So. Sounds like our Vasilisa put my dad in his place."

"Your ..." I glanced back at the group I'd just left. Silver Hair still stood there, gesticulating wildly. "That guy's your dad?"

"That's what my mom says."

"You agree with him? About how Moroi fighting would be suicide?"

Adrian shrugged and took another sip. "I don't really have an opinion on that."

"That's not possible. How can you not feel one way or another?"

"Dunno. Just not something I think about. I've got better things to do."

"Save that for later," I suggested, seductively. Which I could tell was not helping his start of arousal, but I loved to torture him sometimes.

He nodded his eyes still filled with lust, I could see he was very tempted to take me back to his room at this very moment.

Across the room, Lissa's feelings burned back to me, calm and content. Good.

"Why are you smiling?" Adrian asked.

"Because Lissa's still over there, working that crowd."

"No surprise there. She's one of those people who can charm anyone she wants if she tries hard enough. Even people who hate her."

I gave him a wry look. "I feel that way when I talk to you."

"But you don't hate me," he said, finishing the last of his champagne. "I am beginning to think you might even love me. And if that is true the feeling is mutual."

"I don't know what you are talking about." I told him quietly. What he said was true, but after only knowing each other for a couple of days, this isn't something we should be talking about now.

"So you keep saying." He took a step toward me, not threatening, just making the space between us more intimate. "But I can live with that."

"Rose!"

The sharpness of my mother's voice cut through the air. A few people within earshot glanced over at us. My mother-all five angry feet of her-stormed up to us.

What do you think you're doing?" she demanded. Her voice was still too loud as far as I was concerned. I just stared at her incredulously. The nerve of this woman! She had been absent most of my life and now she wants to act concerned! If I didn't hate her before I hated her now. "Excuse us, Lord Ivashkov," she growled. Then, like I was five years old, she grabbed me by my arm and jerked me out of the room. Champagne sloshed out of my glass and splashed onto the skirt of my dress.

I looked back at Adrian he made to follow ignoring my mothers request but I shook my head at him and mouth for him to stay.

"What do you think you're doing?" I exclaimed, once we were out in the hall. Mournfully, I looked down at my dress. "This is silk. You could have ruined it."

She grabbed the champagne flute and set it down on a nearby table. "Good. Maybe it'll stop you from dressing up like a cheap whore."

"Whoa," I said, shocked. "That's kind of harsh. And where do you get off turning motherly all of a sudden?" I gestured to the dress. "This isn't exactly cheap. You thought it was nice of Tasha to give it to me."

"That's because I didn't expect you to wear it out with Moroi and make a spectacle of yourself."

"I'm not making a spectacle of myself. And anyway, it covers everything up."

"A dress that tight might as well be showing everything," she retorted. She, of course, was dressed in guardian black: tailored black linen pants and a matching blazer. She had a few curves of her own, but the clothing hid them.

"Especially when you're with a group like that. Your body's...conspicuous. And flirting with Moroi doesn't really help."

"That is what boyfriends and girlfriends do they flirt." I told her rolling my eyes. Her calling me a whore and grouping Adrian in a category of sleazy Moroi men made me angry, she had no right. Something petty occurred to me. "Besides," I said mockingly, "isn't that what I'm supposed to do? Hook up with a Moroi and further my race? It's what you did."

She glowered. "Not when I was your age."

"You were only a few years older than me."

"Don't do anything stupid, Rose," she said. "You're too young for a baby. You don't have the life

experience for it- you haven't even lived your own life yet. You won't be able to do the kind of job you wish you could."

I groaned, mortified. "Are we really even discussing this? How did we go from me flirting to suddenly having a litter? I'm not having sex with him or anyone else, and even if I were, I know about birth control. Why are you talking to me like I'm a child?"

"Because you act like one." It was remarkably like what Dimitri had told me.

I glared. "So you're going to send me to my room now?"

"No, Rose." She suddenly looked tired. "You don't have to go to your room, but don't go back in there, either. Hopefully you didn't draw too much attention."

"You make it sound like I was giving a lap dance in there," I told her. "I just had dinner with Lissa."

"You'd be surprised what things can spark rumors," she warned. "Especially with Adrian Ivashkov."

With that, she turned and headed off down the hall. Watching her, I felt anger and resentment burn

through me. Overreact much? I hadn't done anything wrong. I knew she had her whole blood-whore paranoia, but this was extreme, even for her. Worst of all, she'd dragged me out of there, and several people had witnessed it. For someone who supposedly didn't want me attracting attention, she'd kind of messed that one up.

A couple of Moroi who'd been standing near Adrian and me walked out of the room. They glanced in my direction and then whispered something as they passed.

"Thanks, Mom," I muttered to myself.

Slight humiliated I wanted nothing more than to stock off. But right now I need Adrian. I didn't care what my mother said about not going back in. I was about to go back in and get him when he walked out of the room.

He looked at me with concern than sadness and the next thing I know I am in his arm with him wiping away tears I hadn't even realized had fallen.

"Let's get you out of here." he told me softly.

"Okay." I said as he pulled me into his arms and lead me away. When we had reached his room he guided me over too the couch and pulled me into his lap.

"My life is a disaster," I finally said.

"It's not a disaster," he said automatically.

"I think it is. Well for the most part. Meeting you might have been the only good that has come out of my life for the last several months. It is a miracle all the things that had happened to me have not broken me so far."

"You are too strong for that Rose. And now that I have found you I don't plan on letting you go. And for whatever comes your way good or bad I will be here for you. Always."

"Thanks Adrian." I told him as I brushed my lips against his lips.

"Anything for you Little Dhampir."

We while we set there I told him about the conversation I had with my mother.

"She's just worried about you," Adrian said when I finished.

"She overreacted."

"Sometimes mothers are overprotective. Besides she has a point with the reputation that I have built for myself, I am always perceived as trouble. And if I wasn't so selfish I would let you walk away from me so you wouldn't be dragged under with me. But I am very selfish and I plan on keeping you around as long as you want me around. So yea I can under stand your mother's over protectiveness."

I stared at him. "Yeah, but this is my mother. And she didn't seem that protective, really. I think she was more worried I'd embarrass her or something. And all that becoming-a-mother-too-young stuff was stupid. I'm not going to do anything like that."

"Maybe she wasn't talking about you," he said.

More silence. My jaw fell open.

You don't have the life experience for it-you haven't even lived your own life yet. You won't be able to do the kind of job you wish you could.

My mom had been twenty when I was born. Growing up, that had always seemed really old to me. But now...that was only a few years off for me. Not old at all. Did she think she'd had me too soon? Had she done a shoddy job raising me simply because she didn't know any better at the time? Did she regret the way things had turned out between us? And was it...was it maybe possible that she'd had some personal experience of her own with Moroi men and people spreading rumors about her? I'd had inherited a lot of her features. I mean, I'd even noticed tonight what a nice figure she had. She had a pretty face, too-for a nearly forty-year-old, I mean. She'd probably been really, really good-looking when she was younger...

I sighed. I didn't want to think about that. If I did, I might have to reevaluate my relationship with her-maybe even acknowledge my mother as a real person-and I already had too many relationships stressing me. Lissa always worried me, even though she seemed to be okay for a change.

Sitting next to him there, I marveled at the warm and happy emotions springing up inside of me. There was something about being around him that felt so good, that moved me in a way anyone else couldn't, even Dimitri. You can't force love, I realized. It's there or it isn't. If it's not there, you've got to be able to admit it. If it is there, you've got to do whatever it takes to protect the ones you love.

"Where you going?" he asked me when I got off his lap. I gently kissed him on the lips before I pulled away from him.

The next words that came out of my mouth astonished me, both because they were completely unselfish and because I actually meant them "To break someone's heart," I replied.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

**APOV**

About two hours after Rose had left I had started to get this weird feeling that something wasn't quite right, thinking it was just the Spirit messing with me I ignored it and pushed the thought of it aside for later. I really wished I had listened to what my instincts were telling me.

Those thoughts were farther pushed to the back of my head, but the presence of them were still noticeable, when there was a knock at my door. I was hoping it was Rose, but when I opened to find my baby sister, Vivian and my eldest sister Elena there I was somewhat disappointed. Apparently it was written all over my face.

"Geez it is good to see you too Adrian." Vivian snapped at me as she rubbed her hand over her protruding stomach that held my little nephew.

She was two years younger than me. I wanted to snap the bastard's neck that knocked my little sister up than had the nerve not to there for her. On top of that I wanted to put a silver bullet between my father eyes when he decided to disown Vivian. The bastard didn't know it but I had been supporting my sister for the last five months. Though she argued for me not to. I won because there was no way my baby sister was going to be on her own and pregnant.

My _loving_ father had a nerve to warn me that Vivian and her _bastard_ as he like to call my nephew were coming to the resort. The way he wrote it made my sister sound less than worthy of her families affections. Through out the letter he continued to degrade her and had a nerve to suggest I stay away from her. I was about to go rip him a new one when Rose pulled me to sit on the couch with her. The only thing that kept me calm was her. Her smell her presence and the feel of her in my arm are the only reason I remained calm last night.

"I'm sorry Viv. I was just hoping to my girlfriend, I have this nagging feeling something isn't quite right." I told her as I kissed her and Elena on the cheek as I let them pass to come inside my rooms.

"Is it this Rose girl Elena was telling me about?" she inquired.

"Yeah," I said as I pulled my hand through my messy hair.

"Think she is cheating already?"

"No, Rose isn't that type of girl. And I am sure that when you meet her you will love her. The feeling I have I can't really describe it. But I think it is just the Spirit messing with me. I am sure it will pass soon." I told her as I pour myself a glass of vodka and one for Elena. I grabbed a bottle of water for Vivian from the mini fridge that we by the mini bar.

"How could you be sure? You've only known her less than a week."

"But it feels like it has been a lifetime." I told her with a genuine smile when I thought of the last several days I spent with Rose. I didn't just believe she was my soul mate I knew. And that is probably the reason for this nagging feeling that something isn't quite right.

"It's just the sex talking." Vivian said waving her hand dismissively.

"I haven't had slept with Rose yet. She isn't ready for that. And since it has only been less than a week I am willing to wait until she is ready."

"Then who are you getting it from?" she asked me incredulously. I never lied to Rose and told her that my womanizing ways were not true.

So for my sister to know that I haven't slept with her would make her think that I had to be getting from somewhere else. Because it was a known fact that I hardly ever went to bed alone several days straight. While it is true that I wasn't alone last night when I went to bed, the most I did with Rose the night before was make out before we went to sleep. And though I do admit it was a bit heavy and heated make out session that both of us enjoyed I was careful not break her barrier which I was surprise to discover was still there from our fun at the spa, it went no further than me going down on her and her giving me a hand job, there was no time for a blow job, with as hard as I got from her response to my ministrations. That was as far as we had gotten and would as far as we would go till she was ready. And seeing how I had some my best orgasms when I was with her and we were just doing a bit of foreplay, well I would gladly wait till she was ready for me to make love to her.

"I don't need any other woman since I have gotten with Rose." I told her honestly.

"You are in love." Elena said with a gentle smile on her lips that was mixed with a twinge of sadness.

Her love, my brother-in-law, Jason Conta, was currently in a coma. He had been in such coma for the last two years. He and his two guardians were attacked by sixteen Strigoi on their way home from the jewelry store he had been buying Elena her Valentine present that was in four days. The only reason his Guardians were still alive was because Jason brunt most of the Strigoi to a crisp. But that did not save him from the human that was among the Strigoi. The human shot Jason in the head. The doctors said he was lucky to be alive, but they didn't know when he was to wake up.

The stress from it all caused my sister to miscarry their baby that she was planning on telling him about for his Valentines day present, at the time she was almost five weeks along. She was nineteen weeks pregnant when it all became too much for her heart and body to handle. Resulting in the lose of baby Sarah Conta. My sister hasn't really been the same since. I just hoped that Jason will wake up soon. But I had been having that hope for the last two years. But my hope has recently doubled when I learned that Lissa could heal people. But than it was somewhat crushed when I learned that she was masking her gifts with drugs. But there is alway still hope even if Lissa isn't the one to give it to me.

"Yeah, I do love her."

"Than I have to meet her."

"You will soon Viv, I'll make sure of it." I said smiling at her.

**DPOV**

I had been looking for Rose since I left the Priscilla's banquet that I escorted Tasha to. I wanted to leave as soon as I saw the man-whore Ivashkov leave but Tasha was pulling me around the room so she could mingle. It was about two hours later when I could pull myself away from her to go find Rose.

I know I have no right to be seeking her out after I told her I was taking up Tasha's offer of being her Guardian. But what Rose didn't realize was that I still loved her more than I would probably ever love Tasha. And to see her moving on so quickly had me doubting she ever did love me. Than I would think about all the different times she would try to get me to see that I did love her, and that no matter what may have escalated through Victor Dashkov lust charm I kept pushing her away. I thought that had been the right thing to do, but to see her go Adrian Ivashkov known womanizer and Royal, it made my blood boil. I was willing to do whatever I could to make her stay away from him.

I went back to the room she was sharing with the Princess, I knocked and waited several minutes but I received no answer. I figured my best shot was to try Ivashkov's room. With great annoyance I made my way to his room wishing that she was there, and also wishing that she wasn't. If there was one man I couldn't stand in this world, it was Adrian Ivashkov. And a lot of that had to do with the fact that he had Rose and I didn't.

When I reached Ivashkov's rooms I knocked on his door...well more like banged on it.

"WHAT THE HELL!" I heard him shout just before he swung the door open angrily. "Belikov I swear you better have good reason for banging on my door like you have lost your damn mind." he told me practically seething.

"I am looking for Rose." I told him coldly with narrowed eyes drawing myself up to my full height. I was only shorter than him by two or three inches but that didn't stop me from being intimidating**(A/N: yeah I know in the book he is taller but hey my fic my way lolz)**.

"So you had to bang on my damn door! You could have knocked!"

"Adrian calm down." a female voice that I knew wasn't Rose said from him behind him. The woman came around him to place her hand on his arm in an attempt to calm him down. I noticed she was pregnant, very pregnant. I knew she was Moroi and from the way she dressed she was a rich one. And from the way she held herself most likely a Royal. "I am sure the Guardian has a good reason for coming to look for Rose here even if he did bang on the door, like an ingrate."

"Is she here or not?" I said ignoring her barb, and wondering if Rose knew about this woman that seemed cozy with Adrian

"No she is not here. She left a little over two hours ago to go 'break' some kids heart."

_Mason_.

"Thank you Lord Ivashkov." I told him with fake sincerity.

"Whatever asshole." he told me slamming the door in my face.

I wanted to break his door down for his disrespect and smash his face to pieces, but I kept on moving towards Mason's rooms. When I got there his roommate answered the door.

"Have you seen Mason or Rose?" I asked the kid.

"Rose came here not to long ago asking for Mason I told her that he wasn't here and he had left after he had finished packing a bag."

"Do you know why he was packing a bag?"

"No, but when I told her she seemed a bit worried, she practically ran from here when I told her."

"Thank you."

Now I was concerned. Greatly so. And that concern skyrocketed when over my ear piece I forgot I had still on me when I went to the banquet with Tasha, reported that they had found a Guardian knocked out by the main entrance. I was sure whatever happened, Rose was in the middle of it.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

**APOV**

I knew I should not have been ignoring that feeling that something was wrong. I didn't know what the hell was wrong but I was very sure that it had something to do with Rose.

It was on the second day they were missing I was with Lissa when she got a call saying that Rose was at some hospital. I don't think I had ever moved as fast as I did to get to that hospital. Lissa was right on my heals as I rushed to get to my car. I didn't even care to get Guardians to go with me. I knew I should have seeing how the last Dragomir was tagging along with me. But I didn't really care. At first the Guardians at the gate wouldn't let us go because of the fact that Lissa was with me. I was slowly losing my patience and sanity, so when I used compulsion on them I didn't even notice until Lissa informed me of it. Even then I wasn't really paying attention to what she was saying.

The ride to Spokane was suppose to be a three hour drive from our resort but I made it in an hour and a half. I all traffic laws and honestly I didn't really care. I was trying to get the hospital an I be damned if I didn't get there.

When we got to the hospital I quickly parked the car and ran into the hospital. When I arrived I noticed several Guardians hanging around the hospital. I quickly asked one of them where was Rose they told me she was still in surgery and would be for a while. But I could wait for her with her mother and the others. He took Lissa and I to where everyone was sitting and waiting for news from the doctors about Rose. From the look on the solemn faces present I knew Rose's condition wasn't good.

**LPOV**

"What happen Christian? Was is Mason?" I asked as I rushed to him. He looked a little banged up but he was otherwise fine.

"Mason...Mason didn't make it. And Rose she...she took a beating for...for all of us. She killed the Stro...strogoi and several of the humans that...that were working with them but one of them managed to...to shot her in the chest. He would have shot her again I killed him..." I have never seen Christian like this. Whatever happened to them all must have been terrifying. He and the others were crying and slightly shaking. It broke my heart to see them all like this.

"Why did you all go after the Strogoi why not leave it to the Guardians?" I asked them as I pulled Christian into my arms.

"Rose and Christian didnt come for Strigoi" Mia told me as she tried wiping her tears away but they kept falling. "They came for the rest of us and were trying to take us back home. But it was to late one of the humans had already spotted us and followed us before we could find our way back to the bus station."

"So it is all of your faults that Rose is here?" Adrian asked coldly.

"Adrian-" I begun but he cut me off.

"No Lissa, she was trying to keep them from doing something idiotic and now she is in surgery and could possibly die." he bit back at me.

"She could have gone to the Guardians when she found out." Rose's mother said from beside Adrian.

"And what would they have done? Hmm? They would have had some stupid little council meeting wondering if it was worth it going after to dhampirs and a Moroi. One Moroi they wouldn't have cared about because she isn't Royal. Then when they learn that she goes after then herself they still just sit in that meeting because Rose is just collateral damage. And Christian well, everyone expects him to turn Strigoi so they would just laugh at the whole idea of sending a search party. The only reason anyone even went there because it was confirmed Strigoi in the area. So all the while the meetings were happening all of them could have been tortured and killed." bit back bitterly. "So Rose and Christian being the friends they are to you three idiots went to bring you back home. And one of you lost your lives and now Rose could probably lose hers. I hope you are all thankful for the friend that you have in her. And if, no when she makes it out of this, if either of you put her in danger like this again I will end you personally."

And I had no doubt in my mind that Adrian Ivashkov would just as he promised. It was in that moment I think all of us finally understood what Rose saw in a Royal like Adrian. The man was in love with her and he was crazy enough to keep his promise to their destruction. I just hoped they didn't make him ever have to follow through.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

APOV

It was another two hours before the doctors came back to tell us how Rose was. The whole time I was sitting there I was praying like I never did before for Rose to make it through this. And the whole time I could help but blame Eddie, Mia, and now the deceased Mason for Rose being in the hospital. I never really like the kid but I didn't want him dead either...well at this point I couldn't really tell not until I knew how Rose was doing.

"Miss Hathaway?" the doctor asked looking at Rose's mother.

"How is she?" Janine asked somehow keeping her Guardian mask up but still had some tears leaking from her eyes.

"She'll pull through. The bullet nicked her heart which is what caused her to bleed out so much but didn't do to much damage that she couldn't be saved. We were lucky to get her here when we did or she would have been beyond our help. Right now we are going to keep her in ICU because she is not totally out of the woods yet."

"Can I see her?"

"Yes and one other person can go in to see her. But she is resting right now so I do ask that you do not disturb her to much."

"Lissa?" Rose mother asked turning towards her. Lissa shook her head.

"Adrian should go with you. I am sure when she wakes she will want to see him."

"He will not be going anywhere near my daughter." she said bitterly.

"The hell I won't!" I exclaimed. "You may not approve of my relationship with your daughter Miss Hathaway but I love Rose and I know that she loves me too. And I can promise you that if you keep me away from her you are just going to make her hate you worse for leaving her." I told her.

"Hate me all she wants I am trying to protect her. And you will not be going in. Lissa if you want to see Rose than come with me."

"Miss Hathaway-"

"Lissa," she said sharply, "Either you are coming or you aren't, I don't not have time to argue. I want to see my daughter."

"Go Lissa. I'll see Rose some other time." I told her when I see she wanted to argue with Janine.

"Okay." Lissa said getting up from her seat to follow Janine, but before she did she gave Christian a kiss on his forehead. Poor kid was past out in his chair.

"I just hope you know the wedge you are driving between your daughter and yourself Guardian Hathaway. And I hope you realize that before it is to late." I told her her as she, Lissa, and the doctor begun to walk away.

"That is my and my daughter's concern Lord Ivashkov not yours." she told me coldly.

DPOV

It was hard for me to see Rose at deaths door when we found her at that house in Spokane. The amount of blood coming from her was gut wrenching. I did all I could to keep my Guardian mask in place. I may not have told her how I felt about her but what I was doing with Tasha was for the good of the both of us. If we were to be together would interfere with what we both wanted. I loved her with everything I am, so for me to see her like this so close to death was breaking my heart.

I was with them when they got to the hospital but that was only till the other Guardians arrived to protect the few Moroi that were in the hospital and because we knew the Princess was going to find some way to come to the hospital along with Lord Ivashkov. I may not like the bastard but it would not do to have the Queens favorite nephew in any kind of danger.

When I left the hospital I had to go back to the house in Spokane that we had found Rose and the others in. We were still amazed how she managed to kill two Strigoi with a dull sword and to kill at least ten human guards with the help of Mason at least before he was killed. I knew that him dying had to be hard on Rose and the others but especially Rose. She had come her to protect and bring her friends home but she had lost one and almost her own life in the process. I knew coming back from this experience would be hard for her. I just hoped that she could move past this and become the Guardian we all knew she could be.

RPOV

I was feeling very heavy and very groggy. And my chest felt very tight. When I opened my eyes the lights were very painful for my eyes so I quickly shut them in attempt to ease the pain. I worked but that didn't help the tightness in my chest. And during that time I must have bad a noise of discomfort to alert someone I was awake because someone was calling my name and it sound vaguely like my mother. I truly hoped it wasn't her, she was the last person I wanted to see.

"Rose? Rose? Can you hear me sweetheart?"

"Yeah I hear you." I told her my voice raspy because my throat was extremely dry.

"Here sweetheart drink this." She told me as she lifted my head with one hand and placed the cup in front of my lips with the other. "Lissa dim the lights for her." she said since I still had my eyes shut.

"Thank you." I told her when I had enough to quench my thirst and when I opened my eyes. I looked around my room and was surprise to see it was a private one and I had flowers and teddy bears all over the place. This had Adrian written all over it. Thinking about him had me looking around the room for him but all I saw was my mother, Lissa, and Christian.

"Where is Adrian?" I asked them. It wasn't that I wasn't happy to see them but I really wanted to see him.

"He isn't here sweetheart." my mother told me as she smooth the hair away from my face.

"Did he not want to see me?" I asked my voice filled with hurt and it had nothing to do with my gun shot to my chest.

"Lord Ivashkov had more important things to do then to come to the hospital, Rosemarie."

"Bullshit." I heard Christian say coldly to her. I quickly looked over at him and Lissa who were glaring daggers at my mother.

"Well where is he?"

"Probably drunk somewhere." my mother said I could tell she was trying to keep the bitterness out of her voice but she wasn't doing a good job at it.

"Lissa? Chris? Where is he?" I asked them somewhat panicked and ignoring my mother. I could see she was silently telling the keep their mouths shut with her eyes but Christian was a rebel against authority and for that in this moment I was grateful.

"She wouldn't let him come in. For the past two weeks he has been trying to get to you. And since he couldn't he has been sending these flowers and stuffed animals and balloons."

"Get out."

"You heard her the two of you out."

"Not them. You." I told her throwing her a dirtiest glare. Which probably wasn't much since I was a bit doped up.

"Rose-"

"GET THE HELL OUT!" I shouted at her the force behind it caused the pain in my chest to sky rocket. And was sending my heart monitors off, making Lissa rush to me to try and calm me down.

"Please-"

Not having the strength to yell at her anymore or to barely stay awake I whispered my response as tears escaped my eyes. "Just leave me the hell alone like you have done for most of my life. I don't want you here and the only person I do want here you have forbid to come. So get the hell away from me." I told her sobbing as Lissa held on to me.

"Just leave her alone you have done enough." I heard Christian tell her bitterly before darkness consumed me.

But it wasn't long before I was on a beach and the crystal clear water lapping at my toes and the sandy winds blowing my hair around my face.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

RPOV

I knew where I was even if Adrian never brought me to this beach. Knowing I was about to see him made me smile. I looked down to see what he dressed me in and I was thankful it was a long summer dress that went all the way down to my feet. It was red with a black flower on the side of my hip, I was especially happy to see the thin sweater he had placed me in to cover the bandages on my chest. I wasn't ready to show him that. But I knew soon he would see.

"You know no matter what scars you may have I will still find you beautiful. But for your benefit I added the sweater," he said from behind me. His voice sounded wary and tired and almost like he expected me to reject him. "And I wasn't actually sure how comfortable you would feel around me." the told her as he nervously pulled his hand through his hair.

"What are you talking about Adrian?" I asked him somewhat confused.

"She didn't say anything?"

"Who Adrian?" I asked him confusedly.

"Your mother. I was sure she would have said something as to why I was not with you."

"How did you even know I was sleeping and not in a coma?" I asked him since we were dream walking. Answering his questions about my mother could wait till I had his answer to mine.

"One of the nurses at the hospital. I have been desperate to get to you and to see you Rose. But your mother wouldn't allow it. And she forbid Lissa and Christian from saying anything to me. Though some of the information I would just get when they went to sleep, but trying to keep up with everyone's dreams is a bit taxing. And they couldn't give me important information when they were awake so I had to have some one else there that could. One of the elder nurses took pity on me and has been telling me what I need to know. She called me not to long after they helped you go to sleep. And before that she called to tell me that you were awake. She also told me that you have kicked your mother out of your room."

"I did. I couldn't stand to look at her any longer." I told him. As I crossed my arms over my chest. It stung a little seeing how I was just shot in the chest but I ignored it. I was also beginning to wonder why Adrian was keeping his distance but before I could ask him about it he spoke again.

"Your mother is scared Rose she was almost sure she had almost lost you. Hell we are were. And while that doesn't excuse her rash actions towards me, she is afraid of what I may do to you. She is a worrying mother trying to protect her daughter."

"Why start now? She has been ignoring me for the last twelve years, why bother all of a sudden?"

"Because of your father Rose." He told me. That one was new to me. I have no clue what my father has to do with this. I don't even know the mans name.

"What are you talking about Adrian?"

"Not many people are privy to what I am about to tell you and even I shouldn't know, but being the favorite nephew of the Queen allows me to know certain thing that other don't. Your mother sent you to the Academy to protect you from your fathers enemies. Have gone about it a little differently but for you mother her duty to Moroi is always first like so many other Guardians."

"What kind of enemies could my father have?"

"Your father is into some very shady things Rose," Adrian told me as he set down on the sand and pulled his legs up to his chest so he could wrap his arms around them. "Your father has made a living of making enemies to get what he wants done. And the quickest way to Ibrahim Mazur is through you. Though the man has some love for your mother, it has been said that the way she has dealt with you was not to his liking and has caused little love between them."

"What do you mean?"

"While your mother left you at the Academy for your own protection from your father enemies he fully expected her to be the one to protect you. She was suppose to give up being a Guardian. But she like all the other Guardians have had their minds corrupted with thinking that Moroi like me come first. So much so that she gave up being a mother. What Janine did was the only thing she knew how to do. She did what she thought best for you, to leave you at the Academy where you are under 24/7 supervision and taught how to defend yourself."

"So you forgive her from keeping you from me?"

"With the hell I have been going through the last two weeks it will take a while for me to forgive her from keeping you from me when you need me most. I think most days it took every ounce of my strength not to touch any alcohol. Because once I picked up the bottle I wouldn't have stopped till I was past out or been poisoned. The amount of darkness that has consumed me at this point is almost unbearable. But to have this moment with you I will struggle against it with all the fight I have left in me. So do I forgive you mother? No. But do I understand her intentions? Absolutely. I know I may not seem like a dangerous person but I can promise you Rose I am exactly that. Sometimes the darkness is just to much no matter what I do. And when it gets to that point terrible things happen around me or so I have been told, seeing how I don't remember most of those event."

"I don't care. She had no right. I could have died and you wouldn't have had a chance to say goodbye."

"If you would have d..di-" he was choking on the word. The amount of pain that flashed through his face as he looked up at me bad my heart clench painfully and it had nothing to do with my new wound. "I would have found some way to save you Rose. The thought of losing you is unbearable. And I pray it is not something I have to experience until we are both old and wrinkly and laying on our bed holding each other and draw our last breaths before we depart this world together."

"Adrian-"

"No Rose, Listen to me." he said standing and grabbing my shoulders a bit rougher than he normally would but it wasn't to painful. "These last two week no matter how hellish they have been have made me understand that even knowing you for only a couple of days the thought of losing you and being without is almost unbearable. The only reason I am able to talk to you at all right now is because I am fighting against the darkness in me. And I am fighting it for you. I lose you, who will be there to give me a reason to fight the darkness? No one else in my life means as much to me as you do Rose. No one. You have capture my heart and soul. I love you."

I was crying so hard it was unbelievable. Adrian Ivashkov loved me. I couldn't be any happier in this moment than I am right now. I was pretty sure I was probably crying outside of this dream as well. Might be the reason the dream is starting to unravel.

"I love you to Adrian." I told him just before I woken up by a frantic Lissa and Christian.


	14. Chapter 14

**Hello my faithful readers! I would just like all of you to know that you can now find this story on my Yahoo!Group. And eventually I plan on posting this story on to my AdultFanFiction Account. Both of which you can find the Address for on my Profile. I Hope you guys enjoy this chapter. I am sorry the last few have been short but that is all I could piece together at the moment. I am hoping my next one is longer but if not I am sorry, I have so many other 'projects' I am working on and trying to piece together some of my stories have taken some serious neglect and require attention I hope to shed on them soon. But enough of my Rambling, love you guys always.**

**~Kierra**

**Chapter 14**

**APOV**

About a day after Rose had kicked her mother from the room I had finally been allowed to see Rose. Not that it helped her relationship with her mother she was still thoroughly pissed at her mother. I warned Janine that she was pushing Rose to far. I just hope that the relationship repaired. And you probably think I am crazy for this since the woman nearly drove me to delirium when she kept me away from Rose, but I have a tendency to be a sentimental bastard though, I can be crazy most of the time.

To actually see Rose and not just in a dream made the tension leave my body. The darkness I felt lurking in me and driving me crazy all but vanished Rose was the one thing that could redeem me and make me at peace with myself.

"You haven't been eating have you?" was the first thing she said to me when I walked in the room. Though true I at least wanted a hello. But after not seeing her - in person- for two weeks well, I wasn't going to complain...to much.

"I don't even get a hello Adrian? I've missed you Adrian? I love you?" I asked her as I walked towards her and kissed her gently on her chapped lips.

"I just saw you yesterday in my dreams." she said rolling her eyes at me.

"Yes you did. But it would still be nice, I haven't been able to see you in two weeks. During that time you were in a deep coma where time was probably the last thing on your mind."

"You are right. I felt like I was just yesterday I was shot when I woke up. When Christian told me I been out for two weeks I was shocked."

"Two very long agonizing weeks." I said as I pulled my hand through my hair. "For about four days of that you were in the ICU. They knew they could save you but to actually be saved was on you. Two times your heart stopped. I could nearly feel it every time your heart stopped. I wasn't allowed to see you but I didn't need anyone to tell me that something had happened I could feel it with everything I am. Those were some of the scariest moments of my life and all I could think about was if I had just listen to that little voice in my head that something wasn't right with you than all of this could have been prevented." I told her sadly my voice barely a whisper at the end of my rant.

"What are you talking about? What voice?"

"When you first left I knew something was up. I could feel it. I wrote it off as the Spirit and the dark affects. But it wasn't. And everyday I wished I would have listened to what was going on. But I didn't and because of that I could have lost you and my will to live."

"Adrian, what would you have done? I was already set in my task. No one could have saved me from what I was doing. I was going after two idiotic friends and a Moroi I hardly liked. And I brought along my best friend boyfriend. Rather reluctantly because the bastard wouldn't let me go on my own. And during my attempts to save them and myself Mason died. What could you have done to bring me back when I was already doomed?"

"I could have went looking for you in the beginning. And when I couldn't find you I could have called and alerted someone, even Belikov."

"You could have. But it wouldn't have changed anything. I would have still been shot and Mason killed. But in the future if you think something I up with me, please don't ignore it." she said joking lightly her attempt to lighten the mood worked because a small smile did appear on my lips.

"I'll be sure to do that in the future Little Dhampir. I don't want to see you in the hospital bed again till it is time to have our kids." I told her as I grabbed her hand and brought to my lips.

"Kids? A little head of yourself aren't you? I was just yesterday we said 'I love you' and we said that in a dream. We haven't even gone on a date yet."

"If I say 'I love you' now would it make a difference? Because whether I said it in a dream or right now in reality it won't change how I feel because with everything I am I love you Rosemarie Hathaway. And though you may not see the future we have just yet I do. I see us living together happily till old age sitting on our porch swing watching our dhampir grandchildren run across the yard while our children and their spouse are close by laughing and talking. I even see us with a few pets. You are my future Rose. My forever."

**RPOV**

When those words left Adrian's mouth I couldn't help but to break down crying. This wonderful man loved me. Truly and deeply. He saw a future for us that no one else could provide for either of us. He saw us both happy and in love with family of our own. Sure with another Moroi either of us could have the family and be old with them but we wouldn't be happy and we wouldn't be in love. He was my other half and I was his. Without the other we would just past through life not live it. But though I loved him with all I am I was still afraid to admit how much. I knew he would never hurt me at least intentionally but someone would always be against us. Maybe not our friends Lissa and Christian and his sister Elena. But people like my mother and Dimitri would always be against a Dhampir and Moroi relationship. And by us being together would make his life and mine a whole lot harder. Could I be that selfish to put him through that kind of misery? Should I be that selfish? And is it really worth it.

"Don't think about what ever you are thinking about Little Dhampir. Because no matter what you are stuck with me till we are both old and grey and on our death beds. I told you this yesterday I want to be old and wrinkly laying in our bed holding each other as we breath in our last breaths in this world and we will depart from our family and friends together as old loves and soul mates."

"Really meant that?"

"Every damn word of it. So I want you to promise me that no matter what happens to us through our difficult journey of being together that you will always believe in me as I do you. Because I would never betray the trust you have me Rose and I pray you would never do the same to me."

"I would never do that to you Adrian. And I promise I will always believe in you."

"Good. Because between your mother and my family we are going to need it. The world may be against us little Dhampir but you and me we be here for each other. And if the world doesn't like it we will just say 'fuck them' and go about our merry way even if I have to hire our own security to live away from them and their court. You are my life Little Dhampir, and I will give up everything for you."

"I would do the same for you too Adrian." I told him with a sleepy smile on my face. My pain meds were starting to kick in and make me sleepy.

"Go to sleep Little Dhampir. I'll be here when you wake up. I might even see you in your dreams."

"I love you Adrian." I told him as I shut my eyes.

"I Love you to, my Rose." He said to me before darkness took me.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

APOV

"How's Rose?" Christian asked me as he and Lissa entered the room.

"Resting as you can see." I told him tiredly. I knew I should be resting to but I couldn't bring myself to sleep. I was finally looking at my Little Dhampir after nearly three weeks of not seeing her.

"I know that I can see. But I am talking about what has her doctors or nurses said." he snapped at me. The only reason I let him get away with it was because we were all a little bit on edge with Rose being in the hospital. Though she was healing just fine, the idea of Rose being here had us frantic. To Christian and Lissa Rose was invincible. All they have ever known her to be was strong, brave, and un-defeatable. To me, she was the love of my life and the idea that she is hurt and I couldn't prevent it is tearing me apart.

"They say she is fine. She should be able to go home within the next two days. They just want to be sure everything is progress the way it should since the bullet did nick her heart." I told them solemnly. "I have already arranged for me to stay at the St. Vladimir's and for Rose to stay with me until she has recovered afterwards she has to return to her dorm and to her Guardian training." I said the last part bitterly.

If there was one thing I didn't want was for Rose to be a Guardian. Before I thought the job would be awesome for her, protecting her best friend and the only family she has ever known. But see her here in the hospital has changed that. This was not something I ever wanted to experience again her almost losing her life because she was protecting her friends. I would hire a thousand Guardians to protect myself and Rose if it meant that I didn't have to worry about her trying to protect us. If anything ever happened to Rose I don't think I would ever be able to live with myself whether it was my fault or someone else. I barely made it through this time. How was I suppose to do it again?

"She'll be fine Adrian." Lissa said reaching out and squeezing my hand gently trying to comfort me.

"I know she will be cousin. But now is not what I am worried about."

"You are worried about her being a Guardian once she graduates."

"Yes."

"We all are Adrian." she told me softly retracting her hand and leaning back into Christian. "She is my best friend and the last family I know. She is my sister in everything but blood. She is the reason I am here today and for the longest time she was the only reason I bothered to fight against the darkness that consumed me before and after we knew what the Spirit was. She is my other half. To lose her is something I don't think I can ever experience." she said softly as she wiped away the tears that ran down her face. Before she turned to look at Christian. "I love you with all that I am, truly. But if I was to lose Rose, you will have to put me out of my misery because it is something I will never come back from."

"It is because of the bond and what connection you and Rose had before that. You are as much as a part of her as she is of you. If she was to lose you the same thing would happen. But it would be different. You are what brought her back when she died in that car crash. If you were to die she would have no choice but to follow." I told her sadly as I fought against the tears that so desperately wanted to break loose, but I would not let them. "So do me a favor cousin, remember that your life is not your own. And if the time ever comes when you have to face death you fight him long and hard because there is more than just you life at stake." I told her never taking my eyes from Rose.

"I would fight with everything I am then some." she promised me, I just hoped she held true to that.

When it was finally timed for Rose to be released from the Hospital the Academy sent a plane for us that waited for us on the Hospital's helipad. It was in the dead of night, the vampire morning when we were taking Rose back so the amount of Guardian's that surrounded the Hospital and the helipad was astronomical. This was not done for Rose's benefit, unfortunately because to me she was worth all of this, but this was done for mine and Lissa's. Lissa was the last Dragomir and I was the favorite nephew of the Queen. Though she wasn't to happy with me at the moment because I was with Rose, she wasn't about to let anything happen to me anger or not.

Rose for the most part was lucid. But the pain meds and the antibiotic the doctors had given her to fight off any infection that may occur while the wound was healing and her body was weak because it's energy was focused on healing, she was bit dazed during our flight to St. Vladmir's. I was a bit worried about her but I knew it was for not because she would be fine. But despite knowing I couldn't help but worry. I had almost lost her. Not something I was going to go through again. So I hoped she could deal with possessive and overbearing Adrian for a while till I had a chance to cool off.

"Why are you so quiet Adrian?" Rose asked me as she place her hand gently on my face that I leaned into and kissed the palm of.

"Just thinking, Love." I told her as I moved a stray hair from her face and behind her ear.

"About what?"

"You, me, everything." I told her as I pulled her hand from my face and just held within both of mine.

"Are you worried about you, me, and everything else?"

"I am mostly worried about you Little Dhampir. Worrying about myself is not a priority of mine. But when I say thing about you, me, and everything else, I mean more so about our futures and what we will face in the days, weeks, months and years to come."

"Years?"

"I plan on having you forever. So yes years." I told her as I brought her hand to my lips and kissed the back of it.

"I love it when you talk about our forever." She told me with a smile on her lips and her eyes closed as she sighed and let the tension leave her body as though she was imagining our Forever. I hoped she was seeing the same forever I was.

"But no matter what happens in these days, weeks, months and years to come. Nothing will come between us Rose not as long as we fight for each other." I told her firmly as I held her face gently in my hands when she opened her eyes. "Our world is cruel and prejudice to romances and loves like ours. But we will turn a deaf ear to them and tell them all to fuck off. Because not one of them matters. Their opinions are bullshit. The only thing that matters is you and me and how we stay together till we are old and gray and ready to part this world together." I told her resting my forehead on hers. "So when your mother bitches about us just remember she doesn't matter. When my aunt decides she wants to split us up remember her little games will prove nothing but we are perfect for each other because we will stand against every test and trial. And when the pressure behind those test and trials become to much and we feel like losing faith in each other, we will remember why we fight in the first place. Because you and I are soul mates. Bound together for all eternity. Will you promise to remember this Rose?"

"I promise. Do you?" She asked looking me in the eyes with those beautiful brown ones of her.

"I promise."

RPOV

During my recovery while I was at the Academy I was with Adrain. The man was very overbearing. I could do nothing besides eat, sleep, and use the bathroom and be barely wanted me to that alone afraid I would further injure myself. I loved him. I truly did. But he had me contemplating why. Than I remembered our promise that we mad on the jet back to school. That promised is what kept me from snapping and Adrian alive. If I ever had doubts that he loved me I was sorely wrong. The way he took care of me and even the way he annoyed the hell out of me only proved that he did love me. The man would do anything for me and I would do the same for him.

When it came time for me to leave and stay in the dorms I was both relieved and sadden. I had gotten use to sleeping in Adrian's strong and capable arms. The way it felt to be wrapped up in him was indescribable. For a long while and even still it is hard for me to go to sleep with out hearing the sound of his heart beat or the warmth of his skin against mine. The only reason I forced myself to sleep at night was so I could see him in my dreams. I think that was the only reason my sleep was every restful and not restless leaving me tired the next day.

It was not long after I made a full recovery that they had the molnija ceremony. They tried to have it before but Adrian refused to let it happen. He wanted me perfectly healthy before I was allowed to do anything that involved school or being a soon to be Guardian. I just think he didn't like the fact that it had something to do with the reason I had to recover in the first place. Or that it was Guardian business.

I was beginning to think he didn't want me to be a Guardian. I got the same feeling from Lissa and Christian as well the only two people he would let visit me since he was still very angry with Eddie and Mia. In a way I think he blames them for what could have happened to me. As much as I wanted to argue with him I couldn't. This was his way of trying to take care of me and protect me. I was going to let him do so. But the fact of thinking none of them wanted me to be Guardian bothered me. Especially Lissa. I was suppose to be her Guardian. If I was not to do it who would? Did she not think me capable enough because of the incident in Spokane? I didn't lose one Moroi in that incident and though I lost Mason, that was of his own choice. He let his emotions get ahead of getting the job done, and it got him killed. It was a mistake I never planned on making when I became a Guardian. But though that was the reason behind his death it didn't make it easier on me.

The day of my molnija ceremony it was warm causing the snow that had been on campus to melt which would cause it all to freeze up again in a few days making the campus slippery and driving Adrian overbearing self in hyper drive. Though I was healed he still didn't know when to calm down. I was getting beyond the point of understanding.

Receiving these marks didn't feel me with the pride I once thought it would when I was just a, ignorant novice. Before all of this I thought receiving these marks was something to glorify and honor. Now they were just marking to remind me of what can happen when you made a mistake and the death of one of my best friends.

I missed most of the ceremony and really didn't care about what was said around me. The weight of it all was finally crashing on me. I didn't have the time the last month to pay attention to it all as I did now. Mason was gone and he wasn't coming back and I took the lives of five humans and two Strigoi. Though the humans had a part in my and my friends capture and had dark twisted dreams of becoming Strigoi they were not part of this war between the Vampire races, yet I had taken their lives. While I knew I shouldn't have felt bad for it I did. It took everything in me not to cry during the ceremony. There was only one person I wanted to be around when that happened and he wasn't here, so my tears and sorrow will have to wait till later.

When it was done I was standing among a crowd of the gather Guardian that came up to me one by one. They each gave me some sort of sign of affection: a hug, a kiss on the cheek, or kind words.

"Welcome to the Ranks." Alberta said to me. Her weathered face was gently as she pulled me int a tight embrace.

And next unfortunately for me was Dimitri but he sad nothing to me. He was trying to convey his words in his eyes but I did not care to now.

When Stan, the instructor I'd fought with the most since my first day hugged me and said, "Now you're one of us. I always knew you'd be one of the best." I thought I'd pass out. But his word also made me sad. Somewhere in my mind I was thinking I didn't want to be one of them I wanted to be me and free. And that thought scared me a little, so I pushed it away.

Next it was my mother. I haven't seen her since I kicked her out of my hospital room. I was trying to forgive her like Adrian suggested we should, but the pain she had him in for two weeks it was almost unforgivable but Adrian said he understood why she did it he just needed the time to forgive her for it. I on the other hand, understanding wasn't enough.

"Don't ever forget." she told me. I knew what she meant. And I knew why she said it. Me and my mother had our battles but on some leveled she understood what was going on in my head right now and what these marks mean to me.

When it was over food and drinks were served but I waned none of it. I left before anyone could see or stop me and I practically ran to the only person I would allow myself to break down with. I need to feel his comforting and protective arms around me. I need the smell of him to envelope me. I need to hear his voice tell me that it was going to be alright and we will get past this.

So when I finally reached his room and ran into his arms to break down I did just that. And he in return did exactly what I needed him to do he is the one person that knows me better than myself. He is my soul mate and my forever. He is my heart and soul. And he is all I will ever need. An unexpected romance.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

APOV

I held Rose as she slept in my arms. Even with her swollen eyes and blotchy face she was the most beautiful person I have ever met. I was glad she came to me when she finally broke down when everything caught up to her. I was also happy that it did finally catch up to her. She was holding all of it in for far to long. Coming to terms with everything would help her in the long run, and us as well. By her coming to me showed me how much she trusted me and I was able to show her that I could be there for her emotionally as well. Her burden was not just hers anymore it was mine to, so yes I was happy she had finally let it all go so we can move forward with out lives and I could stop being and overbearing bastard that I know she is rapidly coming annoyed with. But I had to be to protect her till she was ready to let it all go.

"Do you think he forgives me for not loving him as he did me?" Rose asked me as she opened her puffy eyes to look at me. I could see the tears forming in her eyes but they didn't fall. I think she was all cried out.

"I don't think he was ever angry that you didn't love him. Maybe disappointed but when you came for him and the others I think that showed him that even though you didn't care for him as you did a lover that you at least loved him like you would a friend that cared enough to save him from himself. But in the end Mason made a choice, and his choice was to defend you when you told him take the others and leave. You were willing to sacrifice yourself to make sure the others made it out alive. But he disobeyed your wishes and he died protecting a friend that he loved dearly. That is an honor anyone would die happy with. And in the end he gave you the strength you needed to keep you and your friends safe. So do I think he forgives you, I think for him there was nothing to forgive from the beginning."

"I don't know if I want to be a Guardian anymore." she confided in me. I closed my eyes when I heard those words come from her. I didn't want her to be one either but it was her choice to make, not mine. "And I know you and the others don't want me to be one either."

"We want whatever will make you happy, Little Dhampir. If that is for you to be a Guardian than we will support you. If it is not to be a Guardian, than we will do the same. We just want you with us happy and safe."

"But tell me what you really want from me Adrian and not just what will make me feel better."

"I want you happy and I want you safe. But I know that the latter can not be accomplished if you are risking your life everyday to protect the Moroi."

"Do all of you think me incompetent because of what happened in Spokane? Does Lissa think I will not be able to keep her safe because I lost Mason?"

"No Rose she doesn't. She thinks you very capable just like the rest of us. But you have to understand Rose, seeing you in the hospital reminded Lissa that you are not invincible as you would have her and everyone else believe. She would love nothing more for you to be her Guardian because she has faith that you could be excellent in it and be the best that you can. But she doesn't want you at risk. You are the last family that she knows. The bond that connects the both of you runs deep. Far deeper than most people know and can understand. Many view it as the ultimate Guardian to protect their Moroi charge. But what they don't understand that if the dhampir a Moroi is bound to dies, the Moroi will soon follow. But before that they will suffer a fate worse than death and when they finally do find death it would be a mercy killing."

"What are you talking about?" She asked me sitting up so she could look me in my eyes. My eyes conveyed nothing but sadness for what I am about to tell her.

"If you die Rose it would be like half of Lissa's soul has been ripped from her. And the other half that remains will howl in pain for as long as Lissa is kept alive. It would only find relief when she is put out of her misery so the two halves could be one again. The connection that runs between you and Lissa runs deep. You to were close before the bond close enough to be called sisters in every sense but blood. So the fact that you are her bonded would make her half soul cry all the more if you were to die."

"So it is best that I don't be a Guardian? That I try to be in less danger as possible so Lissa would never have to experience such a fate."

"She wants you to follow you dreams and not worry about her."

"But if it was me, she would worry. She would do what ever she can to stay alive."

"She already is Rose. Because like her life is tied to yours, your life is tied to hers. She dies so do you. Only you wouldn't have to experience the Soul Cry. You would drop dead immediately."

"This has happened before."

"Yes."

"To who?"

"About sixty years ago. And before that it was about a hundred and fifty years prior to that incident. People didn't know how to explain it. They just knew that the two victims involved where close. They thought they were just connected on some level that the two couldn't survive without the other. To an extent they were right but they didn't understand the Soul Cry. They let the surviving Moroi live a life in misery in old folks home or asylums till death claimed them at old age. Years they spent with their souls crying and no one could hear them and no one would set them free."

"Promise me you would set Lissa free if this was to ever happen."

"I promise. I will have no one suffer from such a fate."

"Thank you Adrian."

"Anything for you love."

"I need you to promise me one more thing."

This one Adrian knew he would dread, but he would do any thing for her. "Anything Rose."

"If something was to happen to me, promise me that you would live and love again for me."

"Rose-"

"Promise me Adrian."

Closing my eyes I let some of the tears slip from them at the thought of losing her for any reason, but I would keep my promise. "I promise you."

"I love you." She told me as she pecked me on my lips, and wrapped her arms around me.

"I love you too." I told her, wondering how I would ever keep that promise, and praying that I never had to.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

RPOV

I was coming from Adrian's room to head back to my dorm. Last night was a rough night for me. My dreams were hunted by nightmares and my heart felt heavy. Though I felt better that I did earlier in the week when the weight of everything came crashing down on me. What I was feeling at the moment I knew would pass eventually but I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep with our the comfort of Adrian's arms around me. So I snuck up to his room and stayed till this morning well the human evening. So when I ran into Dimitri and Alberta talking about Victor Dashkov's trail coming up I was pleasantly surprised, because as far as I knew Dimitri was suppose to be in Russia with Tasha.

"Miss Hathaway what are you doing up at this hour?" Alberta asked me sternly when they noticed me behind them.

"Couldn't sleep Guardian Petrov. I've been out here a while I was actually on my way back to the dorms to get ready for the day." I lied easily.

"Despite that Miss Hathaway you are not suppose to be outside of your dorms at this hour." she said in the same stern voice.

"I'm sorry Guardian Petrov, but it felt like the walls were closing in on me in my rooms I couldn't stay there." That was one of the reasons I had to go to Adrian's room for comfort, so it was the part truth as to why I was out of my room.

She seemed to soften at my admission, and a touch of sadness laced her voice. "Well I will let it pass just this once Rose." she told me softly. "But next time this happen just ask the Guardian at the front desk to give you a pass so you can step outside for a moment with having to be disciplined."

"Thank you Guardian Petrov." I told her softly.

"You are welcome Rose. Guardian Belikov will walk you back to your dorms so you wont find any trouble, alright?"

"Okay." I said to her as Dimitri and I begun to walk to my building. But she stopped me once more.

"And Rose?"

"Yes ma'am?"

"If you ever need to talk to, I'm hear to listen." she told me sincerely.

"Thank you." I told her with a small smile before we started in our separate directions.

They silence only lasted awhile before Dimitri interrupted the quiet between us.

"So why were you really out of your Room Rose?"

"Just as I told Guardian Petrov the walls felt like they were closing in on me so I needed to be out of my room." I told him with a huff. "Why are you still here Dimitri? Aren't you suppose to be in Russia with Tasha?"

"I was, we were suppose to leave after your ceremony but she decided to stay here a bit longer because of the trail with Victor Dashkov."

"When is it?" I asked him. I was honestly surprised that they had already had the trail. And even more so when I realized I had forgotten about the man. My recent worries seemed to overshadow everything that he had done to Lissa and I. My mind had been more focused on the fact that I had just lost my best friend and that I may or may not want to be a Guardian any more. Oh and the fact that it took me less than a week to fall in love with a Royal Moroi that had the reputation of a womanizer. So yeah, events recently seemed to have overshadowed all things dealing with Victor Dashkov.

"It's in a week."

"Are Lissa and I going as well?"

"No." he said with a grimace.

"No?" I asked just make sure I heard right. Because that made absolutely no sense to me. Lissa was his victim, shouldn't she be testifying? And I was a victim of his as well not as direct as he was with Lissa but because of him I could have lost my virginity before I was ready to give it up. And to the totally wrong person. Because even then when I thought Dimitri was the right one, I realized with the time I had spent with Adrian that no one else could be the right person. I was just wondering why I haven't given myself to him completely yet. Maybe someday soon, very soon...

"No." He reinstated bringing me from my thoughts.

"Look, doesn't it seem reasonable that if you're going to talk about what happened to us, then you should have Lissa and I there as well?" I asked placing my hands on my hips.

Before he answered me he went into full strict instructor mode. Like he had the right. He was no longer my instructor. My training had been passed off to some Aussie dhampir, and she was wicked cool and strong as hell. She knocked me on my back so often during our training that me and the padded floors were starting to become best friends.

"The Queen and some of the other Guardians thought it'd be best if you didn't go. There is enough evidence between the rest of use and besides, criminal or not, he is or was one of the most powerful Royals in the world. Those who know about this trial want to keep it quiet."

"So, what, you thought if you brought us, we'd tell everyone?" I exclaimed. "Come on, comrade. You really think we'd do theta? The only thing we want is to see victor locked up. Forever. Maybe longer. And if there's a chance he might walk free you have to let us go."

"It is not my choice to make." he told me.

"But you have influence. You could speak up for us, especially if..." but then a thought came to me. I didn't need Dimitri to Lissa and I into the trial. I had the Queen's favorite nephew as my boyfriend. If anyone could get us in it would be Adrian. "Never mind Guardian Belikov," I said going back to formalities so fast I could see it confused him. "I understand that you can't get us in. I apologize for assuming. Have a good day, sir." I told him as I walked into my dorm that we had reached five minutes ago.

I was going to damn well make sure that Lissa and I got into that trial. And I was also going to light a fire under Adrian's ass for not telling me about it. Because I knew, he as the Queen's nephew had to know of the trial probably before anyone else did, seeing how he was her favorite.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

APOV

When I saw Rose that afternoon I knew she had something she wanted to talk to me about. But whatever it was that she had on her mind was making her jittery as though she thought I would refuse whatever she asked of me. But I could never deny her anything that she wanted. If she asked me to by her the moon I would damn sure try my hardest to do just that even if it was impossible.

I would have asked her what it was that was making her so nervous but I figured she had to work it out in her head before she could ask me. But damn if she wasn't distracting during the whole ordeal. The way she bit on her lip was driving me insane. As I had promised her we were going at her pace. When she was ready to have sex than so was I. But for a man that was use to getting it daily I think I was developing an extreme case of blue balls. I am surprised the Academy hasn't started charging me with a water bill and that I still managed to keep skin on my dick from all the masturbation I have been doing.

And it wasn't like Rose and I haven't been fooling around, because believe me neither of us went to bed unsatisfied. Just thinking about her beautiful lips on me was causing me to tent my pants but I quickly squashed it before she noticed. She had something she wanted to ask me and I wanted to be able to give her my undivided attention.

"Adrian?" She said softly from beside me. We were sitting on the love seat in my living sitting room. In my opinion it was a little bit to big for a love seat, but I digress.

"Yeah?"

"I need a favor."

Is this what she has been worrying about? A favor? Doesn't she know I would never deny her anything?

"And what favor would that be love?" I asked her pulling her close to me so she was practically in my lap.

"Can you get me and Lissa into Victor Dashkov trail?"

Now I understand her nervousness. Yes I would give Rose the world if she asked for it. But I wanted her no where near that asshole after what he had done to her and Lissa.

"I don't know Rose." I told her as I slid her off my lap so I could stand up and pace in the space in front of the couch.

"Please Adrian. This would mean a lot to me and Lissa if you could do this for us. We will finally be able to close that chapter in our lives and move on from it all."

"Rose you know I would do anything for you. I have told you many times I would give you the world if I could. And if I couldn't than I would work hard everyday trying to compensate for that. But to intentionally put you in front of the man that has hurt you and Lissa greatly. Is going against everything in me. I know you may not think much of me since I am a Moroi but you are the love of my life and I am suppose to protect you with everything I am. And I will do so in a heartbeat. You asking this of me is a contradiction to that instilled promise." I told her as I ran my hand through my messy hair.

"He can't hurt me anymore. I just need to see them put him away. I need to be there to close this chapter in my life. Lissa needs it as well. I know what my asking this of you is doing to you-"

"I don't think you do, Rose. I just got you back to functioning at 100% just a few days ago. You have finally come to the point where you could accept losing one of your best friends and setting aside you dream of being a Guardian for what is best for you and Lissa. Through all of that I have felt absolutely helpless because I couldn't take the pain away and for the fact that if I would have listen to the uneasy feeling that was going through me when you left for Spokane I could have protected you from all of that. I wasn't able to protect you that time but I be damn if I can't do it now."

"Please Adrian. I need this. This is pain you can't protect me from-"

"I damn will try." he interrupted her.

She continued as though she hand't heard him, "-I have to get pass this. But he can't hurt me anymore. I am sure of that. Just please do this for me. I need this."

Adrian stopped pacing as he squeezed his eyes shut listening to her pleas. This was going against his better judgement. This is one of the few things he wished she would never ask of him.

"Please Adrian."

"I'll see what I can do." he told her defeated his shoulders slumped in his defeat. She needed this, so he will give it to her.

RPOV

I knew Adrian was not happy by me asking him to get me and Lissa into Victor Dashkov trial. I think Adrian hated him more than even Lissa and I did, and he wasn't even around to witness the pain that was inflicted on Lissa and I. And it was a deep rooted pain. He betrayed our trust and our love for him. I looked up to the man and when I thought he was dying I cried for him. Lissa was much the same. This man was her family all that she had left of it. And he betrayed us. I didn't really want to be in the same room anymore than Adrian wanted me to be. But I needed this. I needed to be able to put this all behind me so I can finally move on with my life.

"Thank you Adrian." I said getting up from the couch so I could hug him. I buried my face into his chest so I could breath him in. Adrian smelt like no other man that I knew. He smelled of musk and cider. To me he smelled like every man should, but ten times better. I could tell from the smell of him he hand't smoked or drank all day, which greatly surprised me. "You are sober?"

"I haven't felt the urge to seek outside influences today. But with the favor you just asked me I think I need a drink." he told me as he pulled away from me slightly to look me in the eyes. "You are very important to me Rose. And if I didn't agree that you needed this closure I would not have agreed to do this. It would have been the one time I denied you anything and not feel sorry about it."

"I know." I told him as I reached up on the tips of my toes to kiss him on his lips. I had intended for it to be a little less passionate. But Adrian quickly changed that as he swept his tongue across my bottom lip before he pulled it into his mouth. And with the way his hands were groping me I knew that he was in need of a little assurance of what we meant to each other. So for his benefit and for mine since I could so get off giving him head I kissed my way down his clothed chest as I unbuttoned his pants and pulled them down. My man loved to go commando.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

RPOV

The past couple of days had been a bit weird for me. I was almost certain that I was seeing things. It was starting to make me think I had actually crack when I thought for sure that I was healing after everything that had happened in Spokane. I thought I was getting pasted the death of my best friend. But this afternoon was making me think that I might need professional help. Because I was absolutely certain that I saw Mason Or maybe it wasn't him.

I had been on another morning stroll coming from Adrian's. I was about to head back in the building so I could get myself ready for my day when I saw something in the corner of my eye. At first I thought maybe I had gotten caught again, but at a closer look I realized that it wasn't a Guardian that I saw, but it was Mason.

"No," I said softly. This had to be a trick. "No."

It had me thinking maybe I was still at Adrian's asleep. But that couldn't be right. Adrian was in my dreams from the moment I fell asleep till we woke up. And I know for certain that we had woken up together from the heated make out session we had than we shared a shower (I had extra clothes in Adrian's room, well he practically gave me a section of his closet and a draw from his dresser. Isn't he the sweetest!)

But what other explanation could it be. Because I definitely didn't like the one that suggested I would be going crazy. Those were my only options right, dreaming or I was losing my marbles?

He stood under an ancient, gnarled oak. I was squinting to try and make out his features, because he was fading in and out of my vision. He looked washed out, making his fair skin looked whiter than I recalled. His reddish hair now appeared fain, watery orange. I could barely even see his freckles. He was wearing exactly what I'd last seen him in: jeans and a yellow fleece jacket. He looked very much like a faded out photo that had been in the sun to long. But the part that stuck out the most was the dead look in his eyes. My heart ached to look him in the eyes. As I was taking him in could see that he was doing the same of me. He expression though never changed. Sad. Grim. Serious. He opened is mouth like he was trying to say something and then closed it. Several more heavy moments hung between us, and then he lifted his hand and extended towards me. Something in that motion snapped me out of my daze.

No, this is not happening. I was not losing my mind, and I would not start to interact with my hallucinations. Mason was dead, I saw him die and I held his lifeless body.

When I saw his finger move slightly like he was beckoning, I started to back away. I was not going to give in to these hallucinations that my best friend was still alive, even though looking at him it was apparent that he was very much dead, but that was beside the point. Dead looking or not, I was not going to give into this craziness.

He didn't follow as I begun to back away. He just stood there with his hand still in the air. My heart lurched and I ran. When I was almost to the door I stopped and turned around, the clearing where he stood was empty. I let out a shaky breath now that my hallucination was now gone. But something told me that I was going to see him again, and that thought both thrilled me and frightened me. Mason was my best friend but he was also my dead best friend.

APOV

Something was up with Rose. I knew whatever it was she was trying hard to hide it, but it is difficult for her to hide anything from me. One because I can read her Aura better than I can read anyone else and two I know her just that well. Her brave face to me wasn't as fooling as it could be with everyone else and that is without me looking at her aura.

But what really worries me about her aura is the fact that the black ring around it that over shadows most f her emotions has become even darker and it pulsates around her more so than it usually does. I was beginning to think that her going to Victor Dashkov's trail might not be such a good thing since something is obviously bothering her. But I promised her that I would do what ever I could to make sure that she and Lissa got into that trail. Against my better judgement but it was what she wanted so I will give it to her. I just hope she never ask to put me in this position again. She can ask me to give her any other thing, but not something that I know is just a bad idea. I don't know why it feels like this is a bad idea, but something in my gut is telling that it is a bad idea. I am going to keep a close eye on her while we are there.

But other than knowing something is bothering her everything between Rose and I is perfect. I even have a feeling that I am going to get lucky very soon. Or at least was. I don't feel right taking advantage of her knowing something isn't quite right with her emotionally. I think I have taken a turn to Pansyville. I have not had sex in so long I think my dick is going to rebel against me. But I can't even fathom the idea of rushing Rose. She is my everything and I want her to be ready when we are ready to take that step into our relationship.

Yup. Rosemarie Hathaway has officially made me a pansy. The things you do while you are in love.

...I don't think my hand and I have ever been so acquainted...

CPOV

You know how they say you can see your life flash before your eyes. Well that is how I felt when I felt Rose's murderous gaze fall on to me because they assigned her to me for her Guardian exercise. I knew Rose and I have come along way from how it was when we first met. She was like a sister to me and I was ready to defend her as such at any given moment. And I knew to her I was like an older brother she never had. And that didn't mean that neither of us pissed the other off when ever we got the chance because that would be a total like because even if Rose is like a sister to me I love to piss her off and I know she loves to do the same to me.

But for her Guardian duties I was the last person she thought they would ever assign to her, even for training purposes. Everyone knew that Rose and Lissa were attached to the hip and had something special even if they weren't quite sure what it was. But not everyone knew that Rose had no plans of becoming a Guardian when we graduated. That was just for our inner circle, our family I guess you could call it and yes that included Eddie and Mia even if she did live at Court.

So I can understand where her murderous glare is coming from. This would be the only time she would ever be able to act as Lissa's Guardian. And they have taken that from her, not that they knew it. But they did. Now I have to bare her wrath for the next six weeks. Ode the joy. Can you hear the sarcasm.

"I am sorry I am ranting at you Pyro," Rose told in a huff as she set down on my chair. We had just gotten ready for the night. And I have endured murderous glares and ranting through most of it. It took me a bit before I realized the murderous glares weren't necessarily directed at me in general, thank God. "It's just I wanted at least this one chance to be Lissa's Guardian even if it just for an exercise. She and I hardly get time to spend together these last few weeks. Me going through my recovery and Adrian's hovering and then the two of you off doing your thing. I just wanted to spend time with my best friend you know. Graduation will be here before you know it. And Lissa and you will be going your way and Adrian and I will be going ours. I just don't know what to do."

"It'll work out Rose. Besides I don't think there is much that will keep Lissa from you. You two have been attached to he hip since you were kids. At the moment the two of you might not be hanging out much right now but it is a growing process gotta learn to be apart sometimes even if it is torture. But as for Lissa and I going our own separate ways after graduation, well I think you she try to go to college as a real student and not someone's shadow. Besides your drunk may go back to school as well than we could all still be together."

"I don't think I have ever heard such a good idea come out of your mouth Pyro." she told me with a small smile. Something was still up with her. Has been for a while, but she wasn't letting on. And I wasn't going to push.

"Yeah well if anyone ever knew of our little heart to hearts I would deny them."

"So would I Fireboy. Now roll your ass over I am not sleeping on your couch."

So for the next six weeks I think I am going to be sharing my bed with my girlfriends best friend. Good thing Lissa and Adrian understand the relationship between Rose and I is strictly platonic because when I woke up the next morning Rose was sprawled across my chest and my girlfriend looked like she was trying to hold in her laughter from where she stood in the doorway with Eddie, he to was trying to keep a straight and stoic face but was failing miserably.

"Don't the two of you look adorable." Lissa said with a giggle as she held out her phone that had a picture of Rose and I on it. Great never going to live this down.

Is that drool I feel soaking my shirt...


	20. Chapter 20

**I would like to say that I wrote most of this chapter but that isnt true, this is a chapter with an insert from Richelle Mead's _Shadow Kissed_. I modified some of the insert but not enough of it to be completely ****original. This is me trying to get back on track with the story. But anyway I hope you guys enjoy what little I actually did write and I hope to have Chapter 21 posted really soon. As always I look forward to your reviews. ENJOY!**

**~Kierra**

* * *

**Chapter 20**

Lissa's POV

Walking in on Chris and Rose has to be the most hilarious thing I have seen in a long time. But it was also one of the most sweetest things I have seen between the two of them. They act like they cant stand each other but the rest of us know that Christian sees Rose as his little sister. He would go to any lengths to protect her just as she would do for him. Some times I think he would protect her more fiercely than he would ever protect me. And the thought use to bother me but it doesn't anymore. They connect on a level that is almost hard for me or anyone else to understand. Christian had seen Rose at her lowest and they both watched as our best friend died.

Rose could've broke that day but I know the only reason she didn't was because of Adrian. And for that I would be forever grateful to him. Watching the two of them together is like nothing I have ever seen. I may not be able to read aura's like Adrian but I can feel the love that pulsates off the two of them. The way Adrian looks at her makes me finally feel like my best friend and sister has finally found her happiness like I have found with Christian. We found our soul mates. And I will let nothing come in between that. Not Rose's mother. And not Guardian Belikov.

Yes I know about the two of them. Though Rose doesn't know that. But I see the tension between the two of them while we were at the resort. I also heard snippets of their conversations. Not that I was eavesdropping merely heard in passing. But I heard enough to know that when Rose gave her heart to him and he practically ripped it out of her chest by agreeing to go with Tanya when they both knew he would be more than just her Guardian. What a fool he was to give up Rose. But she found someone better. The love between them os strong that in a week her heart break healed and their love blossomed. That can only be from the bond of soul mates.

"Come on love birds, we have to get to breakfast than to class." I told them, well Christian since Rose was still passed out on his chest.

"Who did you send the picture to Lissa?" Christian asked me as he extracted himself from Rose's grip.

"No one." I said innocently. "Now you have to help me get Rose up so we can get downstairs"

RPOV

If it wasn't for the fact that I loved Christian as thought he was my brother and the fact that Lissa was standing in the room I might have killed the boy fro pushing me on the floor.

"You are a dead man walking Ozera." I told him cooly as I stood up from the floor rubbing my sore side.

"I've been trying to wake you fro the last five minutes Hathaway. If you didn't sleep like the dead your ass wouldn't have ended up on the floor."

At the mentioned of the dead my mind went to my ghostly encounter with Mason. That wan not a subject I wanted to think on today or any day, the thought of losing ones mind is terribly nerve wrecking.

But before Lissa or CHristian could take notice I sealed away those thoughts.

"I don't sleep like the dead you ass. I was just getting to sleep your snoring kept me up all night." I snapped back at him as i made my way toward his bathroom.

"I don't snore!" he shouted after me as I closed the bathroom door.

Truly he did snore but it wasn't that bad or loud I just need a place to poke at since he pushed me off the bed. The turd was going to suffer for that.

When I was done with my morning routine I left the bathroom so Christian could have his turn.

"I can't wait for this little project to be over" I said to Lissa as I set beside her on Christian's bed.

"It's just six weeks then we have another three month till we graduate and go on our way. Make a new life for ourselves outside of these Academy walls."

"It'll seem strange don't you think, never to come back or at least of you own free will."

"A little. But I'm ready for life beyond these walls again you know. When it was just you and me, I felt free slight terrified because we never knew what was waiting for us around the corer buy free because we didn't have anyone to dictate where we should be and when. Our decisions and choices were our own. I want that agin. It's the one thing I have truly missed since we were brought back here."

"Me to Lissa, me too." I could practically taste our freedom. It was just around the corner.

"So have you and Adrian made plans fore after we graduate?"

"Now we've talked on the subject briefly. I know we will be together but where I don't know. Honestly I could careless as long as we are together."

"He truly makes you happy doesn't he? Lissa asked me as she took my hand into hers.

"More than I could ever describe to you. If it wasn't for him Lissa I don't know where my stat of mind would be right now."

"Well than I am truly happy to have his as a part of our family. One day I how he makes that official."

Though the subject was a little early I cant say it wasn't what I've been hoping fore either.

"One day I'm sure he will." I told her with a bright and hopeful smile.

APOV

"How has your sweet Rose been?" Elena asked me.

"She's been doing good. She has recovered nicely from the incident. And Rose being Rose doesn't let much keep her down" I said into the phone.

"And what about you Adrian, how have you been. I know with what happened it wasn't easy on you."

"According to Rose I have been overwhelming but I have learned to loosen the reins a little. She's healed and very independent she doesn't need me babying her." I told my sister as I ran my hand through my hair.

"Well I'm glad to hear that she is recovering as well that you are letting her be independent. From what I have heard about the young Hathaway she is a very strong girl. But I also know something els is bother you . So what is on your mind little brother?"

"I know the Spokane Incident isn't what is bothering her. I also know while she hasn't totally moved passed it I know that she has come to terms with it. She won't let it rule her life. But I also know that there is something that she ahas been feeling uneasy about." I told my sister as I leaned back in to the chair my eyes following the ceiling fan. "But I know that if I push her she won't ever tell me so I am letting her tell me when she is ready to do so. Which I know won't be to far from now."

"Do you think it might be the pressure of becoming a Guardian? I mean graduation isn't that far around the corner, after what she's been through she might be feeling overwhelmed."

"Rose isn't going to be a Guardian she made the decision a while ago. She's at peace with that decision. Making it actually took a log of weight off her shoulders. So this is something else. But I know that when she is ready she ill tell me."

"Then why is it bothering you so much?"

"Because I know that whatever is bothering her I cant fix and make it better. Her happiness means the world to me yet I know that no matter what I do it's out of my hands. It is something she will ultimately have to face on her own."

"Do you thing it is something that has the potential to come between the two of you?"

"No. No matter what Rose and I go through individually our together can ever tear us apart. Call me a sap if you want Elena, Rose is my soul mate."

"Then there is no reason for you to worry then Adrain. Because it will all work out in the end." Elena told me. I could hear in her voice that she wasn't just telling me that for my benefit but for hers too. She believed that one day Jason wold wake up. She had to, Jason was her forever just like Rose was mine.

"I know it will Elena."

RPOV

Dhampirs and Moroi attended separate classes in the first half of the school day, then joined up after lunch. Christian had most of the same afternoon classes I'd had last semester, so it was almost like following my own schedule again. The difference was that I was no longer a student in these classes. I didn't sit at a desk or have to do any of the work. I was also a lot more uncomfortable since I had to stand at the back of the room the entire time, along with other novices who were guarding Moroi. Outside the school, this was what it was usually like. Moroi came first.

Guardians were shadows. There was a strong temptation to talk to our fellow novices, particularly during times when the Moroi were working on their own and talking amongst themselves. None of us cracked, though. The pressure and adrenaline of the first day had us all on good behavior.

After biology, Eddie and I started using a bodyguard technique called pair guarding. I was near guard and walked with Lissa and Christian for immediate defense. Eddie, being far guard, walked farther away and scanned the larger area for any potential threats. We followed this pattern for the rest of the day, up until the last class came around. Lissa gave Christian a quick kiss on the cheek, and I realized they were parting.

"You guys don't have the same schedule this time?" I asked with dismay, stepping over to the side of the hall to stay out of student traffic. Eddie had already deduced that we were parting and had stopped far guard duties to come talk to us. I hand't known how Lissa and Christian's schedules lined up for this new semester.

Lissa took in my disappointed look and gave me a sympathetic smile. "Sorry. We're going to study together after school, but right now, I've got to go to creative writing."

"And I," declared Christian loftily, "have to go to culinary science."

"Culinary science?" I cried. "You elected culinary science? That's like the most brainless class ever."

"It is not," he countered. "And even if it was ... well, hey, it's my last semester, right?" I groaned.

"Come on, Rose," laughed Lissa. "It's just one class period. It won't be that-"

She was cut off when a commotion broke out farther down the hall. We and everyone near us stopped and stared. One of my guardian instructors, Emil, had practically appeared out of nowhere and-playing Strigoi- reached for a Moroi girl. He swung her away, pressing her to his chest and exposing her neck as though he would bite her. I couldn't see who she was, just a tangle of brown hair, but her assigned protector was Shane Reyes. The attack had caught him by surprise-it was the first one of the day-but he fumbled only a little as he kicked Emil in the side and wrested the girl away. The two guys squared off, and everyone watched eagerly. A few even whistled and shouted, cheering Shane on.

One of the cat callers was Ryan Aylesworth. He was so fixated on watching the fight-which Shane, wielding his practice stake, had just about won-that he didn't notice two other adult guardians sneaking up on him and Camille. Eddie and I realized it at the same time and stiffened, instinct readying both of us to spring forward.

"Stay with them," Eddie told me. He headed toward Ryan and Camille, who had just discovered they were being set upon.

Ryan didn't react as well as Shane had, particularly since he faced two attackers. One of the guardians distracted Ryan while the other-Dimitri, I now saw-grabbed Camille. She screamed, not faking her fear. She apparently didn't find being in Dimitri's arms as thrilling as I once had thought it to be.

Eddie headed toward them, approaching from behind, and landed a blow on the side of Dimitri's head. It hardly fazed Dimitri, but I was still amazed. I'd barely ever been able to land a hit on him in all our trainings. Eddie's attack forced Dimitri to release Camille and face this new threat. He spun around, graceful as a dancer, and advanced on Eddie.

Meanwhile, Shane had "staked" his Strigoi and jumped in to help Eddie, moving around to Dimitri's other side. I watched, fists clenched in excitement, intrigued with the fighting in general. It amazed me part of the fray but knew I had to watch the area around me in case any "Strigoi" attacked here.

But they didn't. Shane and Eddie successfully "finished off" Dimitri. Part of me was a little sad at this. However, Ryan had tried to help and failed. Dimitri had technically "killed" him. He and Emil praised Shane for being fast on his feet and Eddie for realizing we had to treat this as a group endeavor rather than one-on-one trials. I got a nod for watching Eddie's back, and Ryan was chastised for not paying attention to his Moroi. Eddie and I grinned at each other, happy over getting high marks on this first test. I wouldn't have minded a slightly bigger role, but this wasn't a bad start to the field experience. We high fived, and I saw Dimitri shake his head at us as he left.

With the drama over, our foursome split up. Lissa gave me one last smile over her shoulder and spoke to me through the bond, Have fun in culinary science! I rolled my eyes, but she and Eddie had already rounded a corner.

"Culinary science" sounded pretty impressive, but really, it was just a fancy term for what was essentially a cooking class.

Despite my teasing Christian about it being brainless, I had some respect for it. I could barely boil water, after all. Still, it was a lot different from an elective like creative writing or debate, and I had no doubts Christian was taking it as a blow-off class and not because he wanted to be a chef someday. At least I might get some satisfaction out of watching him mix a cake or something. Maybe he'd even wear an apron.

There were three other novices in the class who were guarding Moroi. Since the culinary science room was large and open, with lots of windows, the four of us worked together to come up with a plan to pool our efforts and secure the whole room. When I'd watched novices do their field experiences in past years, I'd only ever paid attention to the fights. I'd never noticed the teamwork and strategizing that must have been going on. Theoretically, the four of us were here to only protect our assigned Moroi, but we'd slipped into a role where we were protecting the whole class.

My post was by a fire door that led outside of the school. Coincidentally, it was right by the station Christian was working at. The class normally cooked in pairs, but there was an odd number of students. Rather than work in a group of three, Christian had volunteered to be by himself. No one had seemed to mind. Many still regarded him and his family with the same prejudice that Jesse did. To my disappointment, Christian wasn't making a cake.

"What is that?" I asked, watching him take out a bowl of some kind of raw, ground-up meat from the refrigerator.

"Meat," he said, dumping it onto a cutting board.

"I know that, you idiot. What kind?"

"Ground beef." He pulled another container out and then another. "And this is veal. And this is pork."

"Do you have, like, a that you're going to feed?"

"Only if you want some. This is for meatloaf."

I stared. "With three kinds of meat?"

"Why eat something called meatloaf if you aren't actually going to get some meat out of it?"

I shook my head. "I can't believe this is only the first day with you."

He glanced down, focusing on kneading his tri-meat creation together. "You sure are making a big deal out of this."

"No, I'm not." I said.

"You know," he continued, "it might actually be a good idea for you to practice with someone different."

"I know. But it isn't like I will be doing this anyway. Just wanted my shot at guarding Lissa, even if it was pretend."

Christian put the meat into a bowl and started adding some other ingredients.

"I know, I also wish that you had your chance. But it might be for the best you know."

"Yeah, I know. She needs a chance to get use to the idea of someone else watching over her that can't read her emotions. These six weeks will give her that chance. And give me the chance to think about what I am going to do after graduation." I said solemnly.

He paused and looked up, meeting my eyes. "I know that what ever you decide to do you will be kick ass awesome at"

"Thanks Pyro"

"Anytime Rosie." A moment later, he returned to his work.

While he was working my mind returned to its own worries. Like worry about Victor Dashkov's trial, I realized. For a moment, I considered telling Christian what I'd learned. He'd been around the night it had all gone down with Victor last fall, but I decided not to mention the news just yet. Lissa needed to hear it first.

He went off to talk to another friend while his meatloaf cooked, which was probably just as well. My door was a vulnerable position, and I shouldn't have been chatting away, even if the rest of the class was. Across the room, I saw Jesse and Ralf working together. Like Christian, they'd chosen a blow-off class too.

No attacks occurred, but a guardian named Dustin did come in to make notes on us novices as we held our positions.

He was standing near me right when Jesse chose to stroll by. At first, I thought it was a coincidence-until Jesse spoke.

"I take back what I said earlier, Rose. I figured it out. You aren't upset because of Lissa or Christian. You're upset because the rules say you have to be with a student, and Adrian Ivashkov's too old. The way I hear it, you guys have already had a lot of practice watching each other's bodies."

That joke could have been so much funnier, but I'd learned not to expect too much from Jesse. I knew for a fact that he didn't care about Adrian and me. But Jesse was still bitter about me threatening him earlier, and here was his chance to get back at me. Dustin, standing within earshot, had no interest in Jesse's idiotic teasing. Dustin would probably have an interest, however, if I slammed Jesse's face into the wall.

That didn't mean I had to be silent, though. Guardians talked to Moroi all the time; they just tended to be respectful and still keep an eye on their surroundings. So I gave Jesse a small smile and simply said, "Your wit is always such a delight, Mr. Zeklos. I can barely contain myself around it." I then turned away and surveyed the rest of the room.

When Jesse realized I wasn't going to do anything else, he laughed and walked away, apparently thinking he'd won some great victory. Dustin left shortly thereafter.

"Asshole," muttered Christian, returning to his station.

Class had about five minutes left.

My eyes followed Jesse across the room. "You know something, Christian? I'm pretty happy to be guarding you."

"If you're comparing me to Zeklos, I don't really take that as much of a compliment. But here, try this. Then you'll really be glad you're with me."

His masterpiece was finished, and he gave me a piece. I hand't realized it, but just before the meatloaf had gone in, he'd wrapped it in bacon.

"Good God," I said. "This is the most stereotypical vampire food ever."

"Only if it was raw. What do you think?"

"It's good," I said reluctantly. Who knew that bacon would make all the difference? "Really good. I think you have a promising future as a housewife while Lissa works and makes millions of dollars."

"Funny, that's exactly my dream."

He and Lissa were going to meet in the library to study- or pretend to study-but he had to stop by his dorm first. So I followed him across the quad, back into the winter air that had grown chillier since sunset seven hours ago. The snow on the paths, which had turned slushy in the sun, had now frozen up and made walking treacherous. Along the way, we were joined by Brandon Lazar, a Moroi who lived in Christian's hall. Brandon could barely contain himself, recapping a fight he'd witnessed in his math class. We listened to his rendition, all of us laughing at the thought of Alberta sneaking in through the window.

"Hey, she might be old, but she could take on almost any of us," I told them. I gave Brandon a puzzled look.

He had bruises and red splotches on his face. He also had a few weird welts near his ear. "What happened to you? Have you been fighting guardians too?"

His smile promptly disappeared, and he looked away from me. "Nah, just fell."

"Come on," I said. Moroi might not train to fight like dhampirs did, but they got in brawls with each other just as often as anyone else. I tried to think of any Moroi he might have a conflict with. For the most part, Brandon was pretty likable.

"That's the lamest, most unoriginal excuse in the world."

"It's true," he said, still avoiding my eyes.

"If someone's screwing with you, I can give you a few pointers."

He turned back to me, locking eyes. "Just let it go." He wasn't hostile or anything, but there was a firm note in his voice. It was almost like he believed saying the words alone would make me obey him.

I chuckled. "What are you trying to do? Compel me-" Suddenly, I saw movement on my left. A slight shadow blending in with the dark shapes of a cluster of snowy pine trees-but moving just enough to catch my attention. Stan's face emerged from the darkness as he sprang toward us.

Finally, my first test.

Adrenaline shot through me just as strongly as if a real Strigoi were approaching. I reacted instantly, reaching out to grab both Brandon and Christian. That was always the first move, to throw my own life before theirs. I jerked the two guys to a halt and turned toward my attacker, reaching for my stake in order to defend the Moroi-

And that's when he appeared.

Mason.

He stood several feet in front of me, off to Stan's right, looking just as he had last night. Translucent. Shimmering. Sad. The hair on the back of my neck stood up. I froze, unable to move or finish going for my stake. I forgot about what I'd been doing and completely lost track of the people and commotion around me. The world slowed down, everything fading around me. There was only Mason-that ghostly, shimmering Mason who glowed in the dark and seemed like he so badly wanted to tell me something. The same feeling of helplessness I'd experienced in Spokane returned to me. I hand't been able to help him then. I couldn't help him now. My stomach turned cold and hollow. I could do nothing except stand there, wondering what he was trying to say.

He lifted one translucent hand and pointed off toward the other side of campus, but I didn't know what it meant. There was so much over there, and it wasn't clear what he was pointing at. I shook my head, not understanding but desperately wishing I could. The sorrow on his face seemed to grow.

Suddenly, something slammed into my shoulder, and I stumbled forward. The world suddenly started up again, snapping me out of the dreamy state I'd just been in. I only barely managed to throw out my hands in time to stop myself from hitting the ground. I looked up and saw Stan standing over me. "Hathaway!" he barked. "What are you doing?" I blinked, still trying to shake off the weirdness of seeing Mason again. I felt sluggish and dazed. I looked into Stan's angry face and then glanced over at where Mason had been. He was gone. I turned my attention back to Stan and realized what had happened. In my distraction, I'd completely spaced while he'd staged his attack. He now had one arm around Christian's neck and one around Brandon's. He wasn't hurting them, but his point was made.

"If I had been a Strigoi," he growled, "these two would be dead."

The most disciplinary issues at the Academy went to Headmistress Kirova. She oversaw Moroi and dhampirs alike and was known for her creative and oft-used repertoire of punishments. She wasn't cruel, exactly, but she wasn't soft, either. She simply took student behavior seriously and dealt with it as she saw fit.

There were some issues, however, that were beyond her jurisdiction. The school's guardians calling together a disciplinary committee wasn't unheard of, but it was very, very rare. You had to do something pretty serious to piss them off to get that sort of response. Like, say, willfully endangering a Moroi. Or hypothetically willfully endangering a Moroi.

"For the last time," I growled, "I didn't do it on purpose." I sat in one of the guardians' meeting rooms, facing my committee: Alberta, Emil, and one of the other rare female guardians on campus, Celeste. They sat at a long table, looking imposing, while I sat in a single chair and felt very vulnerable.

Several other guardians were sitting in and watching, but thankfully, none of my classmates were there to see this humiliation. Dimitri was among the watchers. He was not on the committee, and I wondered if they'd kept him off because of his potentially biased role as my mentor.

"Miss Hathaway," said Alberta, fully in her strict-captain mode, "you must know why we have a hard time believing that."

Celeste nodded. "Guardian Alto saw you. You refused to protect two Moroi-including the one whose protection you were specifically assigned to."

"I didn't refuse!" I exclaimed. "I... fumbled."

"That wasn't a fumble," said Stan from the watchers. He glanced at Alberta for permission to speak. "May I?" She nodded, and he turned back to me. "If you'd blocked or attacked me and then messed up, that would be a fumble. But you didn't block. You didn't attack. You didn't even try. You just stood there like a statue and did nothing."

Understandably, I was outraged. The thought that I would purposely leave Christian and Brandon to be "killed" by a Strigoi was ridiculous. But what could I do? I either confessed to screwing up majorly or to having seen a ghost. Neither option was appealing, but I had to cut my losses. One made me look incompetent. The other made me look insane. I didn't want to be associated with either of those. I much preferred my usual description of "reckless" and "disruptive."

"Why am I getting in trouble for messing up?" I asked tightly. "I mean, I saw Ryan mess up earlier. He didn't get in trouble. Isn't that the point of this whole exercise? Practice? If we were perfect, you'd already have unleashed us upon the world!"

"Weren't you listening?" said Stan. I swore I could see a vein throbbing in his forehead. I think he was the only one there as upset as I was. At the very least, he was the only one (aside from me) showing his emotions. The others wore poker faces, but then, none of them had witnessed what had happened. If I'd been in Stan's place, I might have thought the worst of me too.

"You didn't mess up, because 'messing up' implies that you have to actually do something."

"Okay, then. I froze." I looked at him defiantly. "Does that count as messing up? I cracked under the pressure and blanked out. It turns out I wasn't prepared. The moment came, and I panicked. It happens to novices all the time."

"To a novice who has already killed Strigoi?" asked Emil. He was from Romania, his accent a bit thicker than Dimitri's Russian one. It wasn't nearly as nice, though. "It seems unlikely."

I dealt out glares to him and everyone else in the room.

"Oh, I see. After one incident, I'm now expected to be an expert Strigoi killer? I can't panic or be afraid or anything? Makes sense. Thanks, guys. Fair. Real fair." I slumped back in my seat, arms crossed over my chest. There was no need to fake bitchy defiance. I had plenty of it to dish out.

Alberta sighed and leaned forward. "We're arguing semantics. Technicalities aren't the point here. What's important is that this yesterday, you made it very clear you did not want to guard Christian Ozera. In fact ... I think you even said you wanted us to be sure we knew that you were doing it against your will and that we'd soon see what a horrible idea it was."

Ugh. I had said that. Honestly, what had I been thinking? "And then, when your first test comes around, we find you completely and utterly unresponsive."

I nearly flew out of my chair. "That's what this is about? You think I didn't protect him because of some kind of weir revenge thing?"

All three of them stared at me expectantly.

"You aren't exactly known for calmly and gracefully accepting things you don't like," she replied wryly.

This time, I did stand up, pointing my finger at her accusingly. "Not true. I have followed every rule Kirova laid down for me since coming back here. I've gone to every practice and obeyed every curfew." Well, I'd fudged some of the curfews but not willfully. It had always been for the greater good. "There's no reason I'd do this as some kind of revenge! What good would it do? Sta- Guardian Alto wasn't going to really hurt Christian, so it's not like I'd get to see him punched or anything. The only thing I would accomplish is getting dragged into the middle of something like this and possibly facing removal from the field experience."

"You are facing removal from the field experience," replied Celeste flatly.

"Oh." I sat down, suddenly not feeling as bold. Silence hung in the room for several moments, and then I heard Dimitri's voice speak from behind me.

"She has a point," he said. My heart thumped loudly in my chest. Dimitri knew I wouldn't take revenge like that. He didn't think I was petty. "If she were going to protest or take revenge, she'd do it in a different way."

Well, not too petty, at least.

Celeste frowned. "Yes, but after the scene she made yesterday..."

Dimitri took a few steps forward and stood beside my chair. Having his solid presence nearby comforted me. I had a flash of déjà vu, back to when Lissa and I had returned to the Academy last autumn. Headmistress Kirova had nearly expelled me, and Dimitri had stood up for me then too.

"This is all circumstantial," he said. "Regardless of how suspicious you think it looks, there's no proof. Removing her from the experience-and essentially ruining her graduation-is a bit extreme without any certainties."

The committee looked thoughtful, and I focused my attention on Alberta. She had the most power here. I'd always liked her, and in our time together, she'd been strict but always scrupulously fair. I hoped that would still hold true. She beckoned Celeste and Emil toward her, and the other two guardians leaned closer. They had a whispered conference.

Alberta gave a resigned nod, and the others leaned back.

"Miss Hathaway, do you have anything you'd like to say before we tell you our conclusions?"

That I'd like to say? Hell, yeah. There were tons of things. I wanted to say that I wasn't incompetent. I wanted to tell them that I was one of the best novices here. I wanted to tell them that I had seen Stan coming and had been on the verge of reacting. I especially wanted to tell them that I didn't want to have this mark on my record. Even if I stayed in the field experience, I'd essentially have an F for this first test. It would affect my overall grade, which could subsequently affect my future.

But again, what choice did I have? Tell them that I'd seen a ghost? The ghost of a guy who'd had a major crush on me and who had quite likely died because of that crush? I still didn't know what was going on with these sightings. One time I could write off to exhaustion...but I'd seen him-or it-twice now.

Was he real? My higher reasoning said no, but honestly, it didn't matter at the moment. If he was real and I told them, they'd think I was crazy. If he wasn't real and I told them, they'd think was crazy-and they'd be right. I couldn't win here.

"No, Guardian Petrov," I said, hoping I sounded meek.

"Nothing more to add."

"All right," she said wearily. "Here's what we've decided. You're lucky you have Guardian Belikov to advocate for you, or this decision might have been different. We're giving you the benefit of the doubt. You'll go on with the field experience and continue to guard Mr. Ozera. You'll just be on a probation of sorts."

"That's okay," I said. I'd been on probation for most of my academic life. "Thank you."

"And," she added. Uh-oh. "Because the suspicion isn't entirely removed, you'll be spending your day off this week doing community service."

I jumped out of my chair again. "What?"

Dimitri's hand wrapped around my wrist, his fingers warm and controlling. "Sit down," he murmured in my ear, tugging me toward the chair. "Take what you can get."

"If that's a problem, we can make it next week too," warned Celeste. "And the next five after that."

I sat down and shook my head. "I'm sorry. Thank you."

The hearing dispersed, and I was left feeling weary and beaten. Had only one day gone by? Surely the happy excitement I'd felt before the field experience had been weeks ago and not this morning. Alberta told me to go find Christian, but Dimitri asked if he could have some time alone with me. She agreed, no doubt hoping he'd set me on the straight and narrow.

The room emptied, and I thought he'd sit and talk to me then and there, but instead he walked over to a small table that held a water dispenser, coffee, and other beverages.

"You want some hot chocolate?" he asked.

I hand't expected that. "Sure."

He dumped four packets of instant hot chocolate into two Styrofoam cups and then added in hot water.

"Doubling it is the secret," he said when the cups were full.

He handed me mine, along with a wooden stirrer, and then walked toward a side door. Presuming I was supposed to follow him, I scurried to catch up without spilling my hot chocolate.

"Where are we-oh."

I stepped through the doorway and found myself in a little glass-enclosed porch filled with small patio tables. I'd had no idea this porch was adjacent to the meeting room, but then, this was the building the guardians conducted all campus business out of. Novices were rarely allowed. I also hand't realized the building was built around a small courtyard, which was what this porch looked out to. In the summer, I imagined one could open the windows and be surrounded in greenery and warm air. Now, encased in glass and frost, I felt like I was in some kind of an ice palace.

Dimitri swept his hand over a chair, brushing off dust. I did the same and sat down opposite him. Apparently this room didn't see a lot of use in the winter. Because it was enclosed, the room was warmer than outdoors, but it wasn't heated otherwise.

The air felt chilly, and I warmed my hands on my cup. Silence fell between Dimitri and me. The only noise came from me blowing on my hot chocolate. He drank his right away. He'd been killing Strigoi for years. What was a little scalding water here and there?

As we sat, and the quiet grew, I studied him over the edge of my cup. He wasn't looking at me, but I knew he knew I was watching. Like every other time I looked at him, I was always struck by his looks first. The soft dark hair that he often tucked behind his ears without realizing it, hair that never quite wanted to stay in its tie at the back of his neck. His eyes were brown too, somehow gentle and fierce at the same time. His lips had that same contradictory quality, I realized. When he was fighting or dealing with something grim, those lips would flatten and turn hard. Today, more than his exterior hit me.

I exhaled and drank my cocoa.

"What happened out there?" he asked at last, meeting my gaze. "You didn't crack under the pressure." His voice was curious, not accusatory. He wasn't treating me as a student right now, I realized. He was regarding me as an equal. He simply wanted to know what was going on with me. There was no discipline or lecturing here.

"Of course it was," I told him, looking down into my cup.

"Unless you believe I really did let Stan 'attack' Christian."

"No," he said. "I don't believe that. I never did. I knew you'd be unhappy when you found out about the assignments, but I never once doubted that you'd do what you'd have to for this. I knew you wouldn't let your personal feelings get in the way of your duty."

I looked up again and met his eyes, so full of faith and absolute confidence in me. "I didn't. I was mad... Still am a little. But once I said I'd do it, I meant it. He and I just dash sometimes, that's all... but we did really well together against the Strigoi. I remembered that while I was with him today, and arguing against this assignment just seemed stupid. So I decided to do the best job I could."

"What happened then?" he asked.

"With Stan?" I averted my eyes and played with my cup again.

In the human world, vampires and dhampirs were creatures of myth and legend-bedtime stories to scare children. Humans didn't know we were real and walking the earth. But just because we were real didn't mean that every other story-time paranormal creature was. We knew that and had our own myths and bedtime stories about things we didn't believe in.

Werewolves. Bogeymen. Ghosts.

Ghosts played no real role in our culture, short of being fodder for pranks and campfire tales. Ghosts inevitably came up on Halloween, and some legends endured over the years. But in real life? No ghosts. If you came back after death, it was because you were a Strigoi.

At least, that's what I'd always been taught. I honestly didn't know enough now to say what was going on. Me imagining Mason seemed more likely than him being a true ghost, but man, that meant I might seriously be heading into crazy territory. All this time I'd worried about Lissa losing it.

Who had known it might be me?

Dimitri was still watching me, waiting for an answer.

"I don't know what happened out there. My intentions were good ... I just... I just messed up."

"Rose. You're a terrible liar."

I glanced up. "No, I'm not. I've told a lot of good lies in my life. People have believed them."

He smiled slightly. "I'm sure. But it doesn't work with me.

For one thing, you won't look me in the eye. As for the other... I don't know. I can just tell."

"Look, I appreciate you being worried about me...but really, it's okay. I just messed up. I'm embarrassed about it- and sorry I put your awesome training to shame-but I'll rebound. Next time, Stan's ass is mine."

I hand't even heard him get up, but suddenly, Dimitri was right behind me. He placed a hand on my shoulder, and I froze in front of the door leading out. He didn't touch me anywhere else. He didn't try to pull me closer.

"Rose," he said, and I knew he was no longer smiling. "I don't know why you're lying, but I know you wouldn't do it without a good reason. And if there's something wrong- something you're afraid to tell the others-"

I spun around rapidly, somehow managing to pivot in place in such a way that his hand never moved yet ended up on my other shoulder.

"I'm not afraid," I cried. "I do have my reasons, and believe me, what happened with Stan was nothing. Really. All of this is just something stupid that got blown out of proportion. Don't feel sorry for me or feel like you have to do anything. What happened sucks, but I'll just roll with it and take the black mark. I'll take care of everything. I'll take care of me." It took all of my strength just then not to shake. How had this day gotten so bizarre and out of control?

Dimitri didn't say anything. He just looked down at me, and the expression on his face was one I'd never seen before. I couldn't interpret it. Was he mad? Disapproving? I just couldn't tell. The fingers on my shoulder tightened slightly and then relaxed.

"You don't have to do this alone," he said at last. He sounded almost wistful, which made no sense.

"You are right I don't have to do this alone. And I won't. I have Adrian and Lissa to help me. I even have Christian." Well I would have them if I just told them what was bothering me.

"You are still hanging around with Ivashkov?" Dimitri asked me his face turning hard.

"He came to be with me and to take care of my while I was recovering. Of course I am still with him. I can't just ignore him, he is my boyfriend. And he has been good to me. I know the world has a problem with me being with Adrian but the world can go to hell for all I care. What everyone thinks they see of him isn't true. If any of you would just give him a chance you would see that with me he is different. He made some mistakes in the pasted, but Adrian isn't that man anymore."

I stepped away, out of the reach of his arm, and he didn't say anything more or try to stop me. Cutting through the room that I'd had the hearing in, I headed for the building's main exit, tossing the remnants of my hot chocolate in a garbage can as I walked past.

After leaving Dimitri I headed towards the library where I knew I would find Lissa and Christian and hopefully Adrian would be there as well.

While walking to the library I thought on tonights events. Seeing Mason and freezing up was wrecking havoc on me. I knew when I graduated I wouldn't be a Guardian, but while did the training I took it seriously. Not only that I was convinced I was losing my mind.

Ghost weren't real yet I kept have encounter with Mason. It started to make me feel as though I may not be at peace with Mason's passing as I thought I was but how could that be true? While I would never forget what happened in Spokane I wont letting it rule my life.

My life was moving forward in a direction I knew I wanted so why was Mason hunting me?

Was it because he hated the fact tat I didn't love him as he did me? But mason knew while I didn't love him more that as a friend he also knew I loved greatly as my best friend. So why would he hunt me? But in order for him to do so that would mean I actually believed it was possible, it meant that I actually believed in ghost.

And I didn't believe in ghost. Right?


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

APOV

My sweet Rose, whatever was bothering her was starting to effect her work. I was sure of it. My little dhampir wouldn't be so petty to let Alto attack her charge. While she didn't want Christian as her charge she knew it was for the best. Lissa's safety was going to be in another Guardian's hand, they both had to get use to the idea.

So what had my little dhampir so distracted that she froze and let her charge be attacked? The answer to that I knew I had a while before I got it. When she finally figured out that she didn't have to try to solve it all in her head first I would be there to help her as much as I could. Thought I was sure there wasn't much I could actually do but everyone needed a shoulder to lean on.

And in the mean time I was working on getting Rose, Lissa and Christian into the Dashkov trial. Not that it would take much just a few phone calls to all the right people.

The hard part would be my family. I knew That they would want to meet Rose while I was at court. Well, at least my sister and my mother would. My father on the other hand would see this as another sign of rebellion but in all honesty I couldn't care less. He could disown me I was well off on my own that I didn't need him.

My great aunt too would pose a problem. She had plans for me. She had a list of women she wanted me to date with a hope that one of them would be my wife. She would be disappointed to know that her careful planning would be for not. Even more so when she realized it was because I fallen for a dhampir.

I know she also had dreams of passing the crown off to me of course, according to her and the rest if the family I had some growing up to do. Not that I cared really, the crown really isn't something I want. But admittedly I have grown up a great deal and that was all because of my little dhampir.

The would should be happy that I have Rose in my life not condemning her because she a dhampir. But again the world could go to hell as long as I had Rose. I didn't need anyone else.

"You know what really sucked about this whole thing" Rose asked me as she stood stoically beside me in the library looking over her charge.

"What little dhampir?" I asked as I lightly brushed my had across her arm.

"Not being able to sneak into your room. The weekend is the only time I'll actually get to spend some time with you."

"Agreed Little dhampir. And when this weekend comes we are going to make the most of it."

"Damn straight we are. You are in for a treat Ivashkov." she told me seductively.

"If I didn't know any better I would think I was going to get lucky this weekend. But I could be wrong right?"

God I hoped not.

Blue ball was becoming very painful and lonely.

RPOV

When the weekend came I spent my community service at the church cleaning up the attic. During some of it Dimitri came to help. Why I'm not so sure to be honest his constantly binge around seemed as though he was trying to make up for his mistakes. It was nice to hang around him just as a friend but his presences did confuse me. Why wasn't he away with Tasha? The first of the year had come and gone, what was keeping at the Academy? Not that I can complain too much if he wasn't here I would net be allowed to continue with my pseudo-Guardianship with Christian and I would be allowed to graduate. So for that I would be grateful to him but still why is her here?

When I left the library I wen tot Adrian's rooms. Tonight I was ready to be with him. When I got to his rooms as usual I didn't have to knock for him to know I was here.

"Hey little dhampir." he said as he gently pulled me into his rooms.

"Hi handsome." I said as I pulled him down for a kiss.

"I made us dinner." He told me in between kisses.

"Did you? I think this is a first. Didn't know you could cook."

"Well, there is still plenty you have to lear about me. But we have all our lives to learn everything,"

"Yes, we do." I said looking him the eyes. I knew he could read the message in them. "I'm going to get cleaned up."

"You still have clothes here, I've put them in the closet off to the right." He said gently pushing me towards the bathroom.

After I had freshened myself up and changed into a pair of the pant I had left here and on e of Adrian's tees which was too big for me but I didn't care its smelt just like him, all man with a hit or musk and cider and with no trace of clove cigarettes and alcohol.

He was slowly changing into the man I knew he was. That's one of the things I loved most about him.

"Hey beautiful." Adrian said to me when I entered the dining room just off to the side of the kitchen.

He took my hand and lead me to my chair pulling it out for me.

"Thanks Adrian" I said smiling up at him.

"Anytime little dhampir/"

"So what have you mad for dinner?" I asked looking down at my plate.

"Nothing to fancy tonight. Just some ziti, garlic bread and a small side salad."

"If you can cook then whey didn't you do so while I sated here?"

"I wanted my attention focused on you not on cooking" he told me as he took his seat across from me.

And I had to say Adrian was a spectacular cook. I don't think I ever had such a good meal. All three helpings of it. Good thing Adrian didn't mind my hearty appetite. During our meal we kept up the pretense of conversation but we both knew what was going to happen tonight.

The intensity of his emerald eyes WOs setting my skin on fire. My heart was racing and my hands were slight shaking. I'm sure he could smell my arousal and hear the pounding of my heart.

The intensity and fire in his eyes was going make me come undone. I've never seen Adrian look so feral. Not in a senses that he looked inhuman or a vampire starved but the look of hunger was written all over him and not a hunger for blood or food. Hew was hungry for me and I was most definitely feeling the save for him.

Wordlessly he stood from his seat and moved towards me. When in front of me he reached his hand out towards me. I of course took it. I was ready for this and if I want then I was sure by the time Adrian was done with me I'll be begging for it.

APOV

She was driving me crazy. Every move she made was filled with her seduction and I'm not even sure she was aware of that. And the smell that was coming off of her was driving me insane. The sate of my arousal was like nothing I've ever experienced and we haven't even touched yet.

The rapid beating of her heart was making my fangs ache. Though I would never take blood form Rose she was bring a hunger form me that I never knew I was capable of.

If I didn't move to lead her to my bedroom when I did then I would have taken her virginity up again the dining room table. She deserved better than that. I wanted this to be special for her.

When she stood from her chair my lips gently sealed with hers. And what started out gentle quickly turned intense and hard. Before we even left the dining room I stripped Rose bare. It isn't as though I had never seen Rose naked before but tonight she looked like a goddess.

*Removed content*

~*~AUR~*~

"I love you." Rose said to me softly as I laid on top of her after we came down from our second round. I knew I should probably roll off of her but I was entirely to comfortable being wrapped up in her and Rose wasn't complaining.

"I love you too." I told her as I kissed her between the sweat drench valley of her breast. The salted taste of her skin was divine.

"I'm glad I waited for you." She said as she ran her hand through my sweat soaked hair. "You've made this perfect. Thank you." She said softly.

"For you Little dhampir it had to be perfect."


	22. Chapter 22

RPOV

Waking up next to Adrian was one of the best things in the world. Feeling his body wrapped around me made me feel safe like nothing could touch me, it made me safe. Hearing and feeling his strong heart beat just beneath my ear was a soundtrack I would never take for granted. These moments made life worth living, made getting up in the morning a little easier just so I could look forward to another day starting just like this. I loved this man.

I could feel his breathing change and hear his heart rate change as he begun to wake. The changes weren't anything major but just enough to let me know that he was joining me in the land of the living.

"Morning little dhampir." he whispered to me as he stretched his long body with me still laying on top of him.

How I ended on top of him I don't know because I remember falling asleep with him laying across me. So how during the night our positions got reversed not that I am complaining, either way was good for me, as long as he was sharing the bed with me I didn't give a shit how we were positioned.

"Morning." I said feeling his morning wood rub against my thigh. While I would love nothing more that to have sex with him this morning, I was just to sore from last night. But I also knew that his hard on had to painful because as he rubbed against me it was becoming increasingly harder.

Since I couldn't give him what he really wanted I could at least give him something. With that mischievous thought I slid myself under the sheets to give my boyfriend some morning head.

After leaving Adrian's rooms I headed towards Christian's dorms. My duty as he pseudo-Guardian start up again this morning. I wish that I could have stayed with Adrian all day but duty called unfortunately.

"How was your penance?" Christian asked as we walked across campus from his dorm.

This was the location where Stan had attacked us twice before, and besides, the

Guardians were sick and twisted enough to come after me on a day when I was so exhausted.

Between community service and finally having sex with my boyfriend-not that they would know of the last part- I think I reserved the right to be exhausted.

"It was okay. The priest let us go early."

"Us?"

"Dimitri came and helped me. I think he felt bad about me being stuck with that work."

"Either that or he has nothing else to do now that he's not doing your extra sessions."

"Maybe, but I doubt it. All in all, I guess it wasn't that bad a day."

"I had a great day," said Christian, the smallest amount of smugness in his voice.

I repressed the urge to roll my eyes. "Yeah, I know."

He and Lissa had taken advantage of their guardianless day to take advantage of each other. I supposed I should be glad they'd held off until Eddie and I weren't around, but in a lot of ways, it didn't matter. True, when I was awake, I could block out all of the details, but I still knew what was going on.

I was dying to go eat breakfast. Adrian and I's activities worked up a very hearty appetite. Damn last night was good, I thought with a smile.

I could smell French toast and hot maple syrup. Carbs wrapped in more carbs. Yum. But Christian wanted blood before we ate solid food, and his needs trumped mine. They come first. He'd apparently skipped his daily blood dose yesterday-probably to maximize his romantic time.

The feeder room wasn't crowded, but we still had to wait.

Christian's name was called, and he peered ahead. "Look at that," he said happily. "Alice again."

"I don't get your fascination with her," I observed as we approached the old feeder. "Lissa's always kind of excited to see her too. But Alice is nuts."

"I know," he said. "That's what's so great."

Alice greeted us as Christian sat down beside her. I leaned against the wall, arms crossed over my chest. Feeling uppity, I said, "Alice, the scenery hasn't changed. It's exactly the same as last time."

She turned her dazed eyes on me. "Patience, Rose. You must be patient. And prepared. Are you prepared?"

The switch in subject threw me a little. It was like talking to Jill, except less sane. "Um, prepared how? For the scenery?"

In what had to be a prime moment of irony, she looked at me as though I were the one who was crazy. "Armed. Are you armed You're going to protect us, aren't you?"

I reached inside my coat and pulled out the practice stake I'd been given for the field experience. "Got you covered," I said.

She looked immensely relieved and apparently couldn't tell the difference between a real stake and a fake one. "Good," she said. "Now we'll be safe."

"That's right," said Christian. "With Rose armed, we have nothing to worry about. The Moroi world can rest easy."

Alice was oblivious to his sarcasm. "Yes. Well, nowhere is ever safe."

I concealed the stake again. "We're safe. We've got the best guardians in the world protecting us, not to mention the wards. Strigoi aren't getting in here."

I didn't add what I'd recently learned: that Strigoi could get humans to break the wards. Wards were invisible lines of power that were composed of all four elements. They were created when four Moroi, each one strong in a different element, walked around an area and laid the magic in a circle upon the ground, creating a protective border. Moroi magic was imbued with life, and a strong field of it kept out Strigoi, since they were devoid of life. So wards were frequently laid around Moroi dwellings.

Tons of them were laid around this school. Since stakes were also imbued with all four elements, driving a stake through a ward line in the ground pierced the ward and canceled out the protective effect. This had never been much of a concern because Strigoi couldn't touch stakes. However, in some recent attacks, humans-who could touch stakes-had served Strigoi and broken some wards. We believed the Strigoi I'd killed had been the ringleaders in that group, but we still didn't know for sure.

Alice studied me closely with her cloudy eyes, almost as though she knew what I was thinking. "Nowhere is safe. Wards fade. Guardians die."

I glanced over at Christian, who shrugged in a sort of what did you expect from her? kind of way.

"If you guys are done with your girl talk, can I eat now?" he asked.

Alice was more than happy to comply; he was her first hit of the day. She soon forgot about wards or anything else and simply lost herself to the ecstasy of his bite. I forgot about wards too. I had a one-track mind, really: I still wanted to know if Mason had been real or not. The priest's frightening explanation aside, I had to admit Mason's visits hadn't been threatening, just scary. If he was out to get me, he was kind of doing a half-assed job of it. Once again, I started putting more stock in the stress and- fatigue theory.

"Now it's time for me to eat," I said when Christian finished. I was pretty sure I could smell bacon now. That'd probably make Christian happy. He could wrap it around his French toast.

We'd barely stepped out of the room when Lissa came running up to us, Eddie trailing behind. Excitement lit her face, though the feelings in the bond weren't exactly happy.

"Did you hear?" she asked, a little breathless.

"Hear what?" I asked.

"You have to hurry-go pack your things. We're going to Victor's trial. Right now."

Adrian had pulled through for us as I knew he would. I just wish he had given me some warning about it though. Thank you babe! I thought as Christian and I exchanged brief, startled looks and then hurried off to his room to gather our things.

Packing was a breeze. My bag was ready to go already, and Christian only took a minute to throw his together. In less than a half hour, we were out on the Academy's landing strip. Two private jets sat in attendance, one of which was fired up and waiting to go. A couple of Moroi hurried about, doing last minute things with the plane and the runway.

I know we all wanted to see that evil bastard to go to prison but now that the moment was upon me I was a little scared. Maybe I should have discussed this with Christian and Lissa before I had Adrian get us to this point. Lissa and Christian of course didn't know what was going on. In the chaos of the last few days I had forgot to mention it to them. Guess I should have in hindsight this could have been something they didn't want to attend. Too late now I guess.

A few guardians lingered near the steps going up to the plane. I recognized them as the ones who had helped capture Victor. They were probably going to do double duty and serve as witnesses and as our protection. Dimitri hovered near the outskirts I knew for a fact that he too was going to testify. I just hoped he would ride in the other plane that was on the strip.

The next time I see Adrian I am going to kiss him silly, and I don't care who is watching. I looked around the strip for Adrian hoping that he would becoming with us. This was big and I needed him here with me.

While I was busy looking around Alberta signaled that we could board. My friends were already on board, so I hurried to catch up. As soon as I stepped into the cabin, a voice called to me. "Little dhampir! About time you got here."

I looked and saw Adrian waving thank God, my man didn't disappoint. Running to him I threw myself around him arms around his neck legs wrapped around his waist. He didn't even buckle from me slamming into him. Did I mention that was one of the things I loved about my strong Moroi boyfriend.

And as promised I kissed the hell out of him as I tugged on his hair. Clearly the kiss took him by surprise, but it didn't take him long to join in.

"Thank you so much Adrian." I panted at him as I came up for air. "This means so much to me."

"I know it does Little dhampir. And while I don't think this is a great idea, I also know that this is something you have to do." He told me as he held on to me. And he would have done so for longer if Dimitri didn't make his presence known.

"I think it is time we all take our seats so we can go." He said his voice stern and the look on his face harder. But did I care...HELL NO! So I tightening my legs around Adrain when he attempted to put me down.

"Great idea," I said to him before turning my attention back to Adrian. "Where are we sitting love?" I asked him sweetly.

"Over here." Adrian told me his voice laced with humor as he carried me over to our seats. "Very daring my little dhampir." He whispered into my ear.

"I don't know what you are talking about." I said innocently. I just caused him to chuckle lightly.

Lissa and Christian were sitting together with Eddie, who was given permission to come for further field experience, he was sitting across from them. Adrian set me down off to the left of Lissa before he took his seat next to me.

"So this trip I assume was made possible by you Adrian, given Rose's reaction when she saw you." Lissa asked him.

"She asked me a while ago to get you guys into the trail. It is against my better judgement but I recognized this is a chapter in all your lives that needs to be closed."

"Well thank you" Lissa told him sincerely before she turned to me. "Why didn't you say anything about the trail? I thought it was a done deal that the man would rot in prison."

"I know so did I, but apparently even he deserves his day in court. No good rotten fucking bastard." I muttered

"Still doesn't answer the question Rose why didn't you tell us?" Christian asked me.

"I meant to but it never seemed the right time and when I was going to tell you things interrupted me from doing so. And for that I am sorry." I told them sincerely.

"Well next time something like this comes up just blurt it out. And thanks to the both of you." Christian said to me and Adrian.

"No thanks needed." Adrian said to him.

A wicked headache set in almost immediately after liftoff, and I entertained a fantasy of vodka numbing the pain.

"We're going to Court," Adrian said. "Aren't you excited about it?"

"A little since I've never been but I'm all kinds of nervous since I know your family will be there."

"Don't worry about them. No matter what it is just you and me." he told me gently as he took my hand into his and kissed my opened palm.

"I know." I said smiling up at hims trying to ignore my headache.

"Did you bring a dress?"

"Um no. I didn't think to bring one."

"We'll get you one," he said loftily.

"You're going to take me shopping?" I asked excitedly.

"Shopping? I hadn't thought of that I was thinking we could get one tailored for you. Something custom made, but if you want to go shopping I guess we could."

"I rather like your idea. That way it will be just mine. What do I need a dress for anyway?"

"Dinner parties often pop up while you are attending court. When people hear I am in town they often invite me. Many so they can push their daughters at me hoping I would marry them and some because the older ladies think they could tempt me into their beds. But those we don't have to attend. The ones that my aunt will be hosting is another story." he told me.

I sighed and leaned my head against his shoulder. The pain in my skull was still throbbing. It was like the air was pressing in on me. Something flashed in my peripheral vision, and I turned in surprise, but there was nothing but stars outside the window.

"What's bothering you little dhampir? Your aura is doing weird shifts." he asked me concern filling his voice.

"I don't know this headache is killing me Adrian." It was like a hammer, a hammer inside and outside my head.

"How long have you had this headache?"

"Since we took off." Even my eye sockets seemed to hurt.

"Have you eaten anything today?"

"No I meant to but time slipped away from me. But this isn't because I haven't eaten, I've had those headaches before, this is different." I told him softly the pain in my head was intense and I didn't want to aggravate by being loud.

"Let me get you something to eat and some meds." he said as he gentle moved my head on to chair before getting up. "I'll be right back."

"Rose what's the matter?" Lissa asked me.

I gritted my teeth and rubbed my forehead. "I have the worst fucking headache in the world, " I didn't even realize I'd sworn in front of an instructor until several seconds later. From the other side of my field of vision, I thought I saw something else-another shadow darting through the plane, reminding me of black wings. Like a bat or a raven. I covered my eyes. There was nothing flying through the plane.

"God, why won't it go away?"

"She hasn't eaten today. She was really hungry earlier." Christian told her

I uncovered my eyes just as Adrian returned to me with some food and medicine.

"Thanks babe." I said to him as I took the medicine than started to working one the sandwich he brought back for me.

I slowly worked on my sandwich as more shadowy shapes flitted across my vision. Most were indistinct, but I could have sworn I saw something that looked like a skull mixed in with the darkness. I blinked rapidly, and it all disappeared.

I turned to Adrian and noticed his face was filled with concern as he watched me eat."What is it?"

"Your Aura it mostly black. The black ring that usually surrounds it is thin and hardly noticeable, now it's a thick band."

"Black?"

"Yes disturbingly so." he told me as his eyes fell to mine. "What has been bothering you little dhampir?" he asked me softly.

"Too many things to discuss right now. But don't worry Adrian, I'll be fine." I told him smiling softly up at him through my pain.

When I had finished eating I laid down on Adrian's lap so my head could rest. He gently ran his hand through my hair. It was enough for me relax into an almost dream state but now quite not with the pain of my headache.

I had drifted off a little when I felt a slight touch on my arm. "Rose?"

Opening my eyes, I peered up at Adrian, his emerald green eyes still filled with worry.

Those bat-winged shapes flitted behind him, and my head still hurt. In those swirling shadows, I again saw what looked like a face, this time with a wide gaping mouth and eyes like fire. I flinched.

"You're still in pain?" He asked, peering at me. I blinked, and the face was gone.

"Yeah, but it's better" I lied trying to easy his worry.

"Sure it is." he said sarcastically seeing through my flimsy lie. But not pushing me. "Go back to sleep little dhampir."

A few more phantom clouds danced across my vision, and then I closed my eyes to sleep.

I woke up later when the plane touched down, the sounds of its engines kicking into reverse startling me out of a deep sleep. To my relief, the headache was gone. So were the weird shapes floating around me.

"Better?" Lissa asked when I stood up and yawned.

I nodded. "Much. Better still if I can get some morel food."

"Well," she laughed, "somehow I doubt there's any shortage of food around here."

She was right. Glancing out the windows, I tried to get my first look at our surroundings. We'd made it. We were at the Moroi Royal Court.

"Welcome to Court little dhampir." Adrian whispered into my ear as he wrapped his arms around me.


	23. Chapter 23

RPOV

The queen's court was in Pennsylvania, near the Pocono Mountains, a range I had only a vague idea about. I knew we weren't too close to any major cities, like Philadelphia or Pittsburgh, which were the only ones I knew in the state. The runway we'd landed on was part of the Court's property, so we were already behind wards. It was just like the Academy's small landing strip. In fact, in many ways, the Royal Court was laid out exactly like the school. It was what they told humans the compound was, actually. The Court was a collection of buildings, beautiful and ornate, spreading across well-tended grounds adorned with trees and flowers.

We were met by a group of five guardians, all dressed in black pants and matching coats, with white shirts underneath. They weren't uniforms exactly, but custom usually dictated that for formal occasions, guardians wear some sort of nice ensemble. By comparison, in our jeans and T-shirts, our group looked like somebody's poor relations. Yet I couldn't help but think we'd be a lot more comfortable if it came to a fight with Strigoi.

The guardians knew Alberta and Dimitri-honestly, those two knew everybody-and after some formalities, everyone relaxed and became friendly. We were all eager to get in out of the cold, and our escorts led us toward the buildings. I knew enough about the Court to know that the largest and most elaborate of the buildings was where all official Moroi business was conducted. It resembled some sort of gothic palace on the outside, but inside, I suspected it probably looked like any set of modern government offices you'd find among humans.

We weren't taken there, however. We were led to an adjacent building, just as exquisite on the outside, but half the size. One of the guardians explained that this was where all guests and dignitaries traveling in and out of the Court stayed.

To my surprise, everyone got their own rooms. Eddie started to protest this, adamantly saying he needed to stay with Lissa. Dimitri smiled and told him it wasn't necessary. In a place like this, guardians didn't need to stay as close to their Moroi. In fact, they often separated to do their own things. The Court was as heavily warded as the Academy. And really, Moroi visitors at the Academy were rarely trailed so closely by their guardians either. It was only for the sake of the field experience that it was being done with us. Eddie agreed with some reluctance, and again, I was amazed at his dedication.

Alberta spoke briefly and then turned to the rest of us. "Decompress for a bit and be ready for dinner in four hours. Lissa, the queen wants to see you in an hour." A jolt of surprise ran through Lissa, and she and I exchanged brief, puzzled looks. The last time Lissa had seen the queen, Tatiana had snubbed her and embarrassed her in front of the school for having running away with me. Both of us wondered what she'd want to see Lissa about now.

"Sure," said Lissa. "Rose and I'll be ready."

Alberta shook her head. "Rose isn't going. The queen specifically asked for you alone."

Of course she had. What interest would the queen have in Vasilisa Dragomir's shadow? A nasty voice whispered in my head, Expendable, expendable...

The dark sentiment startled me, and I shoved it aside, I felt Adrian squeezed me a little tighter. I could still tell he was concerned from the black that was in my aura while we were on the plane. I hoped that it was just a fluke, but I also knew that knew what he was talking about. Something was going on with me and I wanted it to end.

"We have a place together little dhampir." Adrian whispered into my ear as he held me close. This development I was very grateful for. I don't think I would be able to sleep if I wasn't with him. "I have an apartment here that we will be using. I would have invited Lissa and Christian to stay with us but it only has one room."

"It's fine Adrian. I'm surprised they are letting me stay with you."

"I didn't give them a choice little dhampir. And trust me they weren't to keen on you staying with me. But I know that while you are here you need me. So if being close to you is going to make this easier on you than that is what I will do."

"I love you." I told him as I reached up to kiss him on his lips.

"I love you too little dhampir."

Adrian's apartment admittedly looked like a bachelors pad. A sleek one all fine lines and very modern. It was nice but it felt cold and unlived in. But I suppose it was he hasn't stayed here in a while even before he came to stay with me at the Academy he was away for school. But it was more than that. The whole place didn't look or feel like Adrian. This was someone else's work.

"I know what you are thinking little dhampir. It wasn't exactly my idea, my aunt had it put together for me. I haven't done anything to change because I never really gave a shit. But if you want to change it than you are free to do so." he told me as he let me look around his place.

"I am not an interior decorator but I definitely could use some work." I told him as I came back to him to wrap my arms around him.

"We could hire an interior decorator to get it all fixed up just the way you will like it."

"You don't have to do that. I mean what's in here is nice, it's just it doesn't fit you." I said as I looked around the tidy apartment.

"Then we will change it fit us love. We will be spending some time here after you graduate just till we know where to move on to next. I have a neighborhood that I am having built up in Georgia. I'm working on hiring enough Guardians for the neighborhoods security, not to mention our own personal Guardians."

"Wait what...what are these plans you are talking about?" I asked as I pulled away from him.

"Before I met you at the resort, I had some contracts go through on Moroi neighborhoods. Right now I am starting off with just the one as an experiment. The neighborhoods would be exclusive for Moroi and dhampirs that will like to live in a community outside of places like court. There would be a place for everyone homes for the rich and some for the less fortunate. The plans went through while you were in a coma. Construction started not that long after that. There is about another three years of development before it is all done."

"Why didn't you ever tell me about this?"

"I didn't think to till now. It was always just another part of my business. I know that we have discussed some of it but not all and not very deeply. You never seemed interested in my business and my money which I found refreshing."

"When you made these plans did you plan on living there before you met me?"

"No, didn't see a need to before. But being with you I can see us living there raising a family when you are ready to have one with me."

"Are there other investors in this with you?" Asked as wee sat down on one of the hard couches. This place really needed to be redone.

"No it's just me. I put quite a bit of my money into this. Enough to actually make a dint in my accounts. But since it is business I did get a loan from a Moroi bank. They were reluctant but they gave me quite a bit of money. If this adventure goes well I'll be able to pay them off within the next ten years."

"If you didn't plan on living there then why make the investment?"

"Because my father wouldn't. Plans like this have been going around for decades but no one would ever touch them. My father was presented the idea and he laughed at it thinking it to be a waste of 'good money' he tossed the plans away. I presented those plans to him two years ago hoping he would go into business with me. He refused. His loss my gain."

"You are really sure it will work. That moroi will come to live in such a place?"

"In these times they'll need a place that can make them feel safe. They aren't getting that living where they are living now. I can give them that and a chance to be a part of a community with having to have all the pretenses of living in court."

"I believe in you Adrian so I'll stand behind you through all of it."

"Thank you little dhampir." he said as he kissed me on the side of my head and pulled me to his side. "That means a lot to me."

Adrian and I had just got into a comfortable position on his couch as we watched television when I felt Lissa in my mind.

Come talk, she said. I sat up, surprised by the message itself and the content. Usually our bond was all about feelings and impressions. Specific requests like this were rare.

"What is it little dhampir?" Adrian asked startled.

"Lissa. She's calling for me. Sorry love, my best friend calls for me." I said getting up from the couch and kissing him tenderly on his lips. "I'll see you later of dinner. I love you."

"Love you too."

Finding my way to Lissa's apartment wasn't that hard. There was only so many places the would be having the last Dragomir staying.

When I got to her apartment I just let myself in and made my way to her bedroom.

"What, you couldn't have come to me?" I asked.

"Sorry," she said, looking like she genuinely meant it. It was hard to be grouchy around someone so nice. "I just didn't have the time. I'm trying to decide what to wear."

Her suitcase was already open on the bed, with things hung up in the closet. Unlike me, she'd come prepared for every occasion, formal and casual alike. I lay down on the couch. Hers

was plush velvet, not leather.

"Wear the pink blouse with the black slacks," I told her. "Not a dress."

"Why not a dress?"

"Because you don't want to look like you're groveling."

"This is the queen, Rose. Dressing up is showing respect, not groveling."

"If you say so."

But Lissa wore the outfit I suggested anyway. She talked to me as she finished getting ready, and I watched with envy as she applied makeup. I hand't realized how much I'd missed cosmetics myself. When she and I had lived with humans, I'd been pretty diligent about primping every day. Now, there never seemed to be enough time-or any reason. Adrian didn't really give a damn if I wore make up or not. He loved my 'natural beauty' as he called it. Besides I was always in some kind of scuffle that made makeup pointless and ruined it anyway. The most I could do was to slather my face with moisturizer. It seemed excessive in the mornings-like I was putting on a mask-yet by the time I faced the cold weather and other harsh conditions, I was always surprised to see my skin had sucked all the moisture up.

"Why do you think she wants to see me?" Lissa asked.

"Dunno, she was a bitch the last time we saw her maybe it is to apologize."

"I doubt that. I hope it isn't for some mundane and really pointless reason after all the effort I've put through."

Unease filled Lissa, despite her calm exterior. She still hand't entirely recovered from the queen's brutal humiliation last fall. My own petty jealousy and moping suddenly seemed stupid when compared with what she had to go through.

"You have nothing to be afraid of, Lissa. You haven't done anything wrong. And really, you've been doing everything right. Your grades are perfect. Your behavior's perfect. Remember all those people you impressed on the ski trip? That bitch has nothing to get on you about."

"You shouldn't say that," said Lissa automatically. She applied mascara to her eyelashes, studied them, and then added another coat.

"Just call 'em like I see 'em. If she gives you any grief, then it's just going to be because she's afraid of you."

Lissa laughed. "Why would she be afraid of me?"

"Because people are drawn to you, and people like her don't like it when others steal all the attention." I was a bit astonished at how wise I sounded. "Plus, you're the last Dragomir. You're always going to be in the spotlight. Who's she? Just another Ivashkov. There are a ton of them. But don't let Adrian know I said that."

She snickered and stepped back from the mirror, pleased

with her face. "How are things with you and Adrian?"

"They are great. We finally had sex yesterday." I told her excitedly.

"Really?" she asked me just as excited forgetting about her makeup. "How was it?"

"It was amazing. He was so sweet to me Lissa. It was everything I thought it would be and more." I gushed.

"I'm happy for you Rose." she said as she pulled me into a hug. "I'm glad your first time was perfect. You deserved it."

"Thanks Lissa."

"Wear your hair up." I handed her a barrette from her suitcase.

She looked at the clock, and her fear returned. "I've gotta go. Will you ... will you go with me?"

"You know I can't."

"I know... not in body... but like, will you do that thing? Where you're watching in my head? It'll make me feel like I'm not alone."

It was the first time Lissa had ever asked me to purposely do that. Normally, she hated the thought of me seeing through her eyes. It was a sign of how nervous she really was.

"Sure," I said.

When I returned to Adrian's apartment he wasn't there but he left me a note telling me that he went to the feeders and that he would return with dinner. Setting the note back down on table I left him one as well letting him no that I was going to be inside Lissa's head.

When I got to his bedroom I laid myself down and started to clear my thoughts and opened myself to Lissa's mind, going beyond simply knowing her feelings. It was something the shadow-kissed bond allowed me to do and was the most intense part of our connection. It wasn't just feeling her thoughts-it was actually being inside of her, looking through her eyes and sharing her experiences. I'd learned to control it only recently. I used to slip in without wanting to, much as I sometimes couldn't keep her feelings out. I could control my out-of-body experiences now and even summon up the phenomenon at will-just like I was about to do.

Lissa had just reached the parlor the queen was waiting in. Moroi might use terms like "royal" and even kneel sometimes, but there were no thrones or anything like that here. Tatiana sat in an ordinary armchair, dressed in a navy blue skirt and blazer, looking more like a corporate businesswoman than any sort of monarch. She wasn't alone, either. A tall, stately Moroi whose blond hair was laced with silver sat near her. I recognized her: Priscilla Voda, the queen's friend and adviser. We'd met her on the ski trip, and she'd been impressed with Lissa. I took her presence as a good sign. Silent guardians, dressed in black and white, stood along the wall.

"Princess Vasilisa Dragomir."

Tatiana nodded in acknowledgment. "Welcome, Vasilisa. Please sit down."

Lissa sat down opposite of Priscalla her apprehension growing by leaps and bounds. A Moroi servant came by and offered tea or coffee, but Lissa declined. Tatiana meanwhile sipped from a teacup and scrutinized Lissa from head to toe. Priscilla Voda broke the awkward silence.

"Remember what I said about her?" Priscilla asked cheerfully. "She was very impressive at our state dinner in Idaho. Settled a huge spat over Moroi fighting with guardians. She even managed to calm Adrian's father down."

A frosty smile crossed Tatiana's cold features. "That is impressive. Half the time, I still feel like Nathan is twelve years old. Everyone seems impressed with you, really. I hear nothing but good things about you, in spite of your past transgressions ... which I'm given to understand weren't entirely without their reasons." Lissa's look of surprise actually made the queen laugh.

There wasn't much warmth or humor in the laugh, though. "Yes, yes ... I know all about your powers, and of course I know what happened with Victor. Adrian's been filling me in about spirit as well. It's so strange. Tell me ... can you..." She glanced to a nearby table. A flowerpot sat on it, dark green shoots sticking through the soil. It was some kind of bulb-based plant that someone was growing indoors. Like its outside counterparts, it was waiting for spring.

Lissa hesitated. Using her powers in front of others was a strange thing for her. But, Tatiana was watching expectantly. After only a few moments more, Lissa leaned over and touched the shoots. The stems shot up through the dirt, growing taller almost a foot high. Huge pods formed along the sides as it grew, bursting open to reveal fragrant white flowers. Easter lilies. Lissa withdrew her hand.

Wonder showed on Tatiana's face, and she muttered something in a language I didn't understand. She hand't been born in the United States but had chosen to hold her Court here. She spoke with no accent, but, as they did for Dimitri, moments of surprise apparently brought out her native tongue. Within seconds, she put her stately mask back on.

"Hmm. Interesting," she said. Talk about an understatement.

"It could be very useful," said Priscilla. "Vasilisa and Adrian can't be the only two out there with it. If we could find others, so much could be learned. The healing itself is a gift, let alone anything else they can conjure. Just think what we could do with it."

Lissa turned optimistic. For a while, she'd been going out of her way to find others like her. Adrian had been the only one she'd discovered, and that had been through sheer luck. If the queen and Moroi council put their resources into it, there was no telling what they might find. Yet something about Priscilla's words troubled Lissa.

"Begging your pardon, Princess Voda...I'm not sure we should be so eager to use my-or others'-healing powers as much as you might want to."

"Why not?" asked Tatiana. "From what I understand, you can heal almost anything."

"I can..." said Lissa slowly. "And I want to. I wish I could help everybody, but I can't. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'll definitely help some people. But I know we'd run into other people like Victor, who want to abuse it. And after a while ... I mean, how do you choose? Who gets to live? Part of life is that...well, some people have to die. My powers aren't a prescription you can get filled as needed, and honestly, I'm afraid they would only be used for, uh, certain kinds of people. Just like the guardians are."

A slight tension built in the room. What Lissa had insinuated was rarely ever mentioned in public.

"What are you talking about?" asked Tatiana with narrowed eyes. I could tell she already knew.

Lissa was scared to say her next words, but she did it anyway. "Everyone knows that there's a certain, um, method to how guardians are distributed. Only the elite get them. Royals. Rich people. People in power."

A chill fell over the room. Tatiana's mouth settled into a straight line. She didn't speak for several moments, and I had a feeling everyone else was holding their breath. I certainly was.

"You don't think our royals deserve special protection?" she asked finally. "You don't think you do-the last of the Dragomirs?"

"I think keeping our leaders safe is important, yeah. But I also think we need to stop sometimes and look at what we're doing. It could be time to reconsider the way we've always done things."

Lissa sounded so wise and so self-assured. I was proud of her. Watching Priscilla Voda, I could see that she was proud too. She'd liked Lissa from the beginning. But I could also tell that Priscilla was nervous. She answered to the queen and knew that Lissa was swimming in dangerous waters.

Tatiana sipped her tea. I think it was an excuse to gather her thoughts. "I understand," she said, "that you're also in favor of Moroi fighting with the guardians and attacking Strigoi?"

Another dangerous topic, one Lissa pushed forward into. "I think if there are Moroi who want to, they shouldn't be denied the chance." Jill suddenly popped into my head.

"Moroi lives are precious," said the queen. "They shouldn't be risked."

"Dhampir lives are precious too," Lissa countered. "If they fight with Moroi, it could save everybody. And again, if Moroi are willing, why deny them? They deserve to know how to defend themselves. And people like Tasha Ozera have developed ways of fighting with magic."

The mention of Christian's aunt brought a frown to the queen's face. Tasha had been attacked by Strigoi when younger and had spent the rest of her life learning to fight back. "Tasha Ozera ... she's a troublemaker. She's starting to gather a lot of other troublemakers."

"She's trying to introduce new ideas." I noticed then that Lissa wasn't afraid any longer. She was confident in her beliefs and wanted them expressed. "Throughout history, people with new ideas-who think differently and try to change things- have always been called troublemakers. But seriously? Do you want the truth?"

A wry look crossed Tatiana's face, almost a smile.

"Always."

"We need change. I mean, our traditions are important. We shouldn't give up on those. But sometimes, I think we're misguided."

"Misguided?"

"As time's gone on, we've gone along with other changes. We've evolved. Computers. Electricity. Technology in general. We all agree those make our lives better. Why can't we be the same in the way we act? Why are we still clinging to the past when there are better ways to do things?"

Lissa was breathless, worked up and excited. Her cheeks felt warm, and her heart raced. All of us were watching Tatiana, searching for any clue in that stony face.

"You're very interesting to talk to," she finally said. She made interesting sound like a dirty word. "But I have things I must do now." She stood up, and everyone hastily followed suit. "I won't be joining you for dinner, but you and your companions will have everything you need. I'll see you tomorrow at the trial. No matter how radical and naively idealistic your ideas are, I'm glad you'll be there to complete his sentencing. His imprisonment, at least, is something we can all agree on."

Tatiana swept out, two guardians immediately following. Priscilla followed too, leaving Lissa alone.

I left Lissa's head and returned to my room. The meeting with the queen was over, and Lissa didn't need my unseen support. Sitting up, I discovered I felt surprisingly alert. Being in her head had kind of been like taking a nap.

"Glad to see you are awake little dhampir." Adrian said from beside me. His back was against the head board and his ankles were crossed. "We'll eat dinner than we go have a look around court."

"Sounds like a good idea." I said as I rolled slightly over to kiss him on his bicep before I rolled out of bed.

"How did Lissa's meeting with my aunt go?" Adrian asked me as he followed me out of the bedroom to the kitchen.

"She did good. She held her own against your aunt. I couldn't have been more proud of her. She was a little nervous in the beginning but she found herself and didn't let herself be run over." I told him as I took a slice of pizza from the box.

"I hope you didn't mind that I brought dinner here instead of us meeting up with everyone else. I just wanted to have you to myself for a while." Adrian said to me as he wrapped his arms around my waist. "I also thought I could show you Court my way unless you want to that with everyone else."

"No seeing it with you is what I want. I can spend some time with my friends later. Tonight it is just you and me." I told him as I leaned back into him. "Are you going to eat any of the pizza."

"No not tonight. I've had my fill for today. I got the pizza just for you hence the one box. If we both were eating pizza I would have gotten two. One for you and one for me."

Did I ever mention that my man had an appetite that rivaled my own? Between the two of us we could clear out a buffet.


End file.
